


Broken Wings

by Seraphim0



Series: Wings as Black as Night [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Batfamily Dynamics (DCU), Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Bruce screws up, Court of Owls, Deception, Dick Grayson Gets a Hug, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Dick Grayson is a Talon, F/M, Friendship, Guilt, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kinda starts off slow but everyone says that the ending was amazing, Light-Hearted Ending, Like the most Angst I could fit into a single story, Mild Gore, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Suicide Attempt, Wally West is Alive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-02-25 11:08:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 137,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22355224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seraphim0/pseuds/Seraphim0
Summary: He had been called many things in his life. Nightwing. Monster. Talon. Son. Hero. Each title had been true, in its' own right. Then he would shed it for the next role that was assigned to him. That had always been the way of things for him. It was how he evolved and grew. Letting go of the past, and looking to the future.The Court of Owls had prided themselves on trying to strip that away from him. Taking away everything that made him who he was. Trying to leave nothing but a mindless Talon. Ensuring that the only path he had left to follow was to embrace his true 'destiny' as the Gray Son of Gotham. They had nearly succeeded.But no matter what others called him, he would always be Dick Grayson. And one thing that Dick Grayson embraced..........was that destinies did not exist.Or: a self-indulgent and somewhat therapeutic fic where Nightwing is kidnapped by the Court of OwlsFive-shot. Rated M for language.Cross posted on ff.net
Relationships: Artemis Crock/Wally West, Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson (hinted), Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Roy Harper, Dick Grayson & Wally West, Kon-El | Conner Kent/M'gann M'orzz, Roy Harper/Jade Nguyen (mentioned), Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Tim Drake & Kon-El | Conner Kent
Series: Wings as Black as Night [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749139
Comments: 124
Kudos: 461





	1. Nightwing

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Wings of the Night](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24171823) by [Fanofeverything101](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanofeverything101/pseuds/Fanofeverything101). 



> Author's Notes: Is a five-shot an actually thing? If not I am creating it now! I am a big Young Justice fan and I am so glad it got a third season! I just finished it and it was really incredible! I also love Dick Grayson is a Talon stories, as you're about to see.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Enjoy

**Tim**

Tim smiled from the Gotham rooftop he was perched on as he watched Jim Gordon step up to the stage. He had announced his candidacy for mayor some months prior. And so far things looked pretty good. His election was a lock.

Now Tim had always been a somewhat of a pessimist. He always operated under the belief that if you expected the worst, you would never be disappointed. And that especially applied to how he viewed Gotham. This was the city where his mentor lost his parents, his innocence. Where Dick had been orphaned. Where Jason had been killed. Where he had lost his own parents. There had never been a doubt in his mind that Gotham would never be beautiful, no matter how many criminals Batman and Robin soundly defeated. But as he looked down, Jim's face set in determination as he gave his address, Barbara smiling from her seated position behind him (1), he felt something for this city he had never felt before. He felt hope.

He wished Dick was here though.

That immediately caused him to curl in on himself from his seated position on the roof. He hated the fact that all it took was the mere _thought_ of Dick to make his mood do a complete one-eighty.

Tim had always been mature for his age. He had never really been childish, and never was the most open about his feelings. Now being Batman's protege, that attitude had turned out to be to his benefit. And it had caused him to further resign himself to never doing _anything_ childish. But in this case he didn't particularly care how childish it sounded. He missed Dick. He missed his older brother.

It took an effort on Tim's part to not jump out of his skin when a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder. "You okay?"

Tim let out a sigh of relief and turned before nodding to the clone behind him. "I'm good. Thanks SB."

**Conner**

He was definitely not okay. Clearly his best friend had a very low opinion of Conner's ability to read his emotions. That said, the bats did seem to have hiding their inner turmoil down to an art-form.

Conner let out a small, inaudible sigh as he took a seat on the ledge next to Tim. He knew what this was about. But he still decided it was best not to bring it up. That decision was in part for Tim, but also for himself. After all, it was still a sore subject for him too. And with good reason.

When he found out that Nightwing had formed a plan with Kaldur to make him a double agent, he had been furious. Nightwing had even told Wally about his plan, and the speedster wasn't even a part of the Team anymore! More importantly, he had let them all think that Artemis had died. So when Nightwing had declared he would take a leave of absence from the Team, Conner had no objections. He had still been angry. But in the months to follow he had come to understand why Nightwing did what he did.

He couldn't tell the entire Team the truth without risking the whole operation, and by extension, Kaldur's safety. And he hadn't told Conner or M'gann because he didn't want them to carry the burden of having to lie to the entire Team. In the end, the plan had been a success. They had captured Manta and the Brain, and no one had been injured (sans Wally on the Arctic mission, but he had recovered since then). (2)

But after he realized this, he still chose not to see Dick at his place in Bludhaven. It came partially out of the resentment he still carried over being lied to, and partially out of his own guilt for the way he had treated Nightwing after the fact. But in the end it didn't matter.

Batman had come into the Watchtower one day with a new mission for the Team. It had been less than a month since Nightwing's departure, and apparently Batgirl (or rather, Barbara Gordon) had gone to Dick's apartment to check up on him. What she found instead was the apartment all but destroyed. Furniture had been smashed, windows broken, and claw marks of all things along the walls. And neither Nightwing nor Dick Grayson were anywhere to be found.

The Bludhaven police department looked for their missing officer using more conventional methods while the Team attempted to track him with the benefit of their powers. Neither path lead anywhere. Garfield had transformed into a blood hound in an attempt to sniff him out only to find that at some point it simply vanished into the air. Zatanna's tracking spells also proved ineffective, meaning that whoever took Dick had no small amount of magic on their side. And even Batman's many, _many_ trackers had been discarded around the city, at seemingly random locations.

Officially Dick Grayson's missing person's case was labeled cold, and the Team had other missions that took precedence, even though no one was happy about it. That seemed to be that. Conner never got the chance to apologize to Nightwing, nor did Nightwing get the chance to explain his actions to Conner. Really the last time they spoke was Conner's outburst on him at the hospital with Lagoon Boy. Conner's heart sank every time he realized that might have been the last conversation they ever had.

That had been five months ago. And no one had seen him in all that time.

"We'll find him Tim." Superboy said with conviction. "You have my word."

Tim couldn't bring himself to meet his friend's gaze. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

Before either could continue, voices burst through the static in their earpieces. They were linked to the same frequency the security guards for the event were using. Right now they were saying something about a commotion with their rooftop teams.

That was all they needed.

With a quick nod to each other, Robin and Superboy were off.

**Tim**

Perhaps they should have listened in a bit longer to find out _which_ rooftop was active. Robin had basically been jumping from building to building in an effort to see if something was out of place. And he didn't even know how far the perimeter extended. He imagined Superboy was having no luck on his end either. But eventually he found the one. And what he found promptly freaked him out.

One of the guards was lying flat on his back, with what looked like several throwing knives lodged in his chest. Robin instantly ran over to him to check for a pulse and let out a small sigh in relief when he found a faint heartbeat. He then looked down at the knives. He knew better than to try and remove them, which left him to gaze at the hilts. And on them he found a strange crest of sorts carved into the handle. Was that an owl?

Robin was pulled from his thoughts when he heard gunfire from another roof. He looked just in time to see two guards firing their weapons at a man Tim assumed was behind this attack. He wore a black skin-tight unitard with gold armor around his shoulders and arms with what looked like a feather design. He also had several silver daggers strapped to his chest identical to those embedded in the chest of the guard laying next to him. He also wore a black hood that covered his entire head with a pair of orange goggles, obscuring his identity. The hood itself was also owl themed, just like the knives. But the most eye-catching part of his attire were the golden claws adorned to each of his gloves.

The man was expertly dodging the gunfire, doing a series of flips and maneuvers to keep himself from getting hit. The firing came to a halt when he leapt up into the air and landed on one of the guards shoulders while throwing several knives at the other. Each knife hit their target and caused the guard to fall back. The man then jumped off the other guard with enough force to cause him to stumble. Just as he landed back on the roof, the man used the guard's confusion to his advantage and threw more knives at him, lodging in his back. As the guard fell, his still-conscious partner made an attempt to get up, which was finished when the man delivered a swift kick to his jaw, most likely breaking it and knocking the guard out.

The man then made his way to the edge of the roof and reached for something strapped to his back. Something that Robin hadn't noticed before. A sniper rifle. And that rooftop gave him the perfect vantage point to put Gordon in his crosshairs.

Robin immediately reached down for the guards com and put it next to his ear. "There's a sniper on the roof! Get Gordon out of here now!" He listened in just long enough to make sure someone heard him before heading out.

The assassin was taking his position just as Robin got to the roof. He seemed to be instantly aware of the Boy Wonder despite the fact that he barely made a sound. The moment Robin's feet touched the roof the assassin abandoned his rifle and moved like a possessed man. He turned and ran towards Robin at break-neck speeds. He attempted to swipe at him with his claws but Robin managed to parry the blow, only to take a fist to his gut. The impact pushed him back to the ledge of the roof. Before he could even attempt to get up, the assassin rushed him with blades popping out of his gauntlets, stabbing him through the shoulders and pinning him to the wall. Training be damned. Tim let out a loud shout in pain.

The assassin dislodged the blades, leaving them in Tim's shoulders and pinning him to the ledge as went back to retrieve his rifle.

**Conner**

He came running as soon as he heard the gunshots. He leapt over several buildings at a time, trying to get there as fast as he could. Superboy arrived just in time to see Tim being run through with a pair of gold blades.

Conner snarled as he jumped down to the rooftop. The assassin seemed to invested in collecting his gun to notice Conner until he was right on him. Once he was within range, Superboy delivered a swift and powerful uppercut to the assassin's jaw, only to watch in horror as he felt something crack and saw the mercenary's head snap backwards at an angle that shouldn't be possible. Conner took a step back in horror as the assassin stumbled backwards. Oh God. Had he really hit him that hard?

Then with a horrified fascination, Superboy watched as the assassin's taloned hand reached up to his chin and with one fluid movement, brought the head back to it's rightful position. He then twisted his head to either side, eliciting a series of cringe worthy cracks as he did so.

Superboy's eyes threatened to bulge out of his head they were so wide. "What _are_ you?"

Rather than a verbal response, the creature before him proceeded to lift his arm, a holographic keyboard popping up on his forearm as he did so. He then clicked on a few of the buttons before lowering his arms. That's when Conner heard it. It sounded like rushing water, and it was coming from the assassin's gauntlets. Something was flowing into them.

Suddenly, a feint green glow emitted from the claws. Conner felt a small burn as well, like you would get from standing too close to a fire. ' _Kryptonite'_ his mind whispered. Before he could even begin to wonder where an assassin could have gotten something like that, his adversary lashed out with the claws, scratching the front of his chest as Superboy pulled away. Pushing the pain to the back of his mind, he did his best the fight back.

But as the fight dragged on, it was clear they were not on an even playing field. Superboy couldn't get a single hit in. The assassin was moving too fast, dodging too well. The speed with which he moved was insane. He was no speedster, but it was clear he was anything but human. That didn't stop Superboy from trying. But this time, the assassin actually caught his fist. Superboy's eyes widened as he felt the assassin's wrist break under his fist, only to click back together. Distracted, the assassin shoved his claws directly into Superboy's chest. White hot pain exploded in his chest as the Kryptonite dug into him. The assassin then twisted his hand to dislodge the claws and leave them buried in Conner's body. As the clone fell to the ground, the assassin once again went to get his rifle.

Conner tried his best to get up, and he could see Tim doing the same as he tried to get the blades out of his shoulders. But neither was successful all they could do was watch as the villain looked down his scope. He knew Tim had called this in, but there was no way they had already gotten Gordon out of there. Not with this crowd. He tried again to get up, but it was in vain. The kryptonite left him too weak.

He stopped struggling and stilled when he heard a gunshot ring through the air. At times like these super-hearing was a true curse. Not because of the pain in his ears over hearing the gun go off, but because he could here the aftermath as though he were next to Gordon. He heard Gordon hit the ground. He heard the people from the crowd panic and scatter about. And he heard Barbara's screaming fill the air.

Then he saw red.

With a renewed drive, he pushed past the pain and managed to get up before running towards the assassin and punching him square in the face. However, the pain from the shifting claws in his chest caused him to lose his balance and fall directly atop the assassin, resulting in them tumbling towards the edge of the roof together, while the impact of his punch caused the owl hood he wore to go flying. The continuing rolling towards until the hit the ledge, with Conner pinning the assassin beneath him. He raised his fist, still blinded by rage when he took note of the assassin face.

Superboy felt the strength drain out of him once again. No.

No it couldn't be.

But it was.

Beneath that hood lay a head of ebony hair and a face he was all to familiar with. Beneath him lay Nightwing, Dick _fucking_ Grayson, trying to get free of the clone's hold on him.

This couldn't be right. This could _not_ be Nightwing. He was Babs' best friends for God's sake. He wouldn't do this to her. And he looked so _different._ Dick always had naturally dark skin due to his Romani heritage. And his eyes were a clear blue. This...this _creature_ beneath him looked nothing like that. Rather it had two large eyes that glowed an unholy yellow in the moonlight, and skin paler than death. From beneath the collar of it's unitard Superboy could make out black veins creeping up his neck. No. This wasn't Dick.

But then Superboy's mind flooded with how they were alike. He had Dick's jawline. His brow, his nose. And the way he _moved._ His entire life there had been a fair amount of people to best him in hand to hand combat, but only one person who could use that level of acrobatics and combat training to do it.

"Dick?" He said breathlessly in an unsure voice.

That's when his yellow eyes narrowed in a way that made Superboy feel like they were piercing his soul. He then used Conner's shock to his advantage and broke free of the grasp on his wrist and grabbed the ledge. Before Conner knew what hit him, the legs pinned beneath him were flipping him over the ledge before Dick did the same and delivered a sharp kick to the claws in his chest, burying them deeper in him as his back hit the brick wall.

Conner shouted as he was left to fall into the alley below. He let out an audible groan of pain as his back hit the asphalt. He looked up just in time to see Dick kicking against the wall to bring himself back over the ledge. He then took one last glance at Conner with a glare in his golden gaze before disappearing again.

His mind raced. What _happened_ to Dick? Why would he target Gordon? And just what the hell _was_ he now? But as the pain from his injuries reignited in his body, his eyes rolled back and the world went black.

**Tim**

"Dick?"

That was enough to pull Tim's attention away from trying to get free and look to Conner and the assassin. He looked just in time to see the two go over the edge before the assassin masterfully flipped back over. But his head was no longer obscured by the odd hood he had worn. Tim could see him now.

And what he saw would haunt his nightmares.

"No"

Dick's whole body snapped to attention, despite Tim being sure he had only just whispered, and turned to stare down the Boy Wonder.

Tim felt his whole being go stiff when he caught a glimpse of his brother's eyes. Even though they were a fair distance apart the glow of his eyes could be made out fairly easily.

And those eyes were staring at Tim the way a predator stares at prey.

He recomposed himself (as best he could) and went back to trying to free his shoulders of the blades as Dick slowly approached him. Tim tried his best to fight best the pain that exploded through his arms with every tug, but it was no use. Abandoning the attempt entirely, Tim looked back at Dick, who continued to slowly close the distance between them.

"Dick! Dick it's me! It's Tim!" He could practically hear Bruce scream 'no names in the field' as he spoke. But that hardly mattered now.

There wasn't the smallest bit of recognition in his eyes. Only a savage snarl as Dick lurched forward and grabbed his head, pulling it forward before slamming it back into the concrete behind him.

Tim's vision became decorated with black spots as Dick released his hold on him. Pushing down the pain and fighting tooth and nail to stay awake, Tim watched through his white lenses as his foster brother narrowed his new golden eyes at him, as if to determine if he needed any more injury inflicted on him. With that in mind, Tim allowed his head to slump to the side and stopped moving. He just hoped that Dick bought it.

Seemingly satisfied, Dick reached into his pocket and fiddled with the inside for a moment before pulling out a small rectangular object. Tim recognized it right away. He had seen them enough during the Justice League's ongoing war with the Light.

"Father Box..." Dick's voice sounded worn and frayed, as though he had been screaming for days on end or simply stopped speaking all together. "Take me back to the court."

With that, a boom tube opened up beneath Dick's feet, pulling him inside. And just like their shared mentor had a million times before, Dick vanished into the night.

That's when darkness overtook Tim.

* * *

**Bruce**

There were not many instances in which Batman allowed emotion to show on his face while it was concealed by the cowl. In his entire career, there had only been three in total. And each time it had been over one of his sons.

The first was when he had first seen Dick patrolling Bludhaven as Nightwing. When his longtime protege told him that it was time for him to become his own hero, that he could no longer remain a sidekick, and that he needed to grow and mature into his own hero...well, _logically,_ Batman understood. But Bruce Wayne was a whole other matter. (3)

For the first time, his son would be fighting _alone._ Everywhere Dick had gone he always had _someone_ watching his back, be it Batman, the Team, or even Barbara. Now he would be on his own.

Bruce had said no.

Dick had simply given him a look that said 'are you for real?'. Bruce couldn't blame him. He was already independent in every other sense of the word. He had his own apartment in Bludhaven, he had a part time job as a self-defense instructor, and he was going to Gotham University for his Criminology Degree. And he had done it all on his own dime. Not once had he asked for a loan nor had he tapped into his trust fund.

But again, Bruce said no.

And Dick stormed out of the cave.

Later, Bruce went to Dick's apartment to apologize. He was just worried. No matter how old or independent he became, Dick would always be his son.

After not getting a response, Bruce opened the door with his spare key (the one that he made without Dick's knowledge) only to find the apartment empty. Panic swept through Bruce's chest. How had he not seen that coming?!

After slipping into the suit he kept in his car for emergencies, Batman took to the rooftops of Bludhaven. After what felt like hours of searching, he finally found Dick taking down some thugs in the alley below.

It may have been a new suit, but Bruce swore he knew Dick's fighting style better than anyone else.

For the first time in his life, Bruce allowed the corners of his lips to turn upwards while under the cowl. He couldn't be more proud of his son.

The second time was when Jason had died.

Bruce could still remember the feeling of ice in his veins when he saw the small building the Joker had stashed Robin in go up in flames.

At that Batman had tried to actually will the Batmobile to go faster, but it didn't make a difference.

He found Jason's body among the rubble, the torn Robin uniform clung to his body, drenched in blood.

This time, Bruce allowed the facade to slip so he could turn his head skywards and scream. He was Batman. He of all people should have been there in time. He had been able to rescue hundreds in his life, but what was that worth if he couldn't save his own son?

And how would he ever summon the nerve to face Dick again after this? How could he tell him that his little brother was dead?

This was the third time.

His expression was contorted in worry as he waited for Red Tornado and Black Canary to give him the status on Tim. He didn't think he could bare the world taking yet another son away from him.

He fought his defensive instincts as a hand was placed on his shoulder. "It'll be okay Bruce." Clark reassured him.

His cynical side disagreed, but he wouldn't voice this to Clark. He knew his friend was equally worried about Conner.

When the two of them had found their proteges, all hell broke loose. Batman and to tear the blades out of Tim's shoulders just to unpin him from the ledge of the roof. Meanwhile, as soon as Superman the kryptonite weapons sticking out of Superboy's chest, he pulled them out with his bare hands, earning a few burns from the kryptonite in the process.

God. The things these kids drove them to.

"What's the status on Gordon?" Clark asked.

Bruce could tell his friend was just trying to change the subject to keep him from worrying. He appreciated the effort, not that he would ever admit it aloud.

"He's gonna pull through. Barbara is with him now." He answered. "That said, tomorrow the papers are going to say that he was assassinated during his speech by a lone gunman who protested his policies. I want whoever did this to think they were successful and they got away with it."

That was hardly Bruce's main concern though. Just who in the world was that skilled with both long and short-range weapons and had the close quarter combat skills to defeat both Robin and a Kryptonian?

Bruce was pulled from his thoughts when the door to the medical bay hissed open and Black Canary emerged. He got out of his chair and was on her at speeds that would put Barry Allen to shame. "What's his condition?"

"Their both stable." He heard Clark let out a breath in relief beside him. "Conner's still unconscious because of how long he was exposed to the kryptonite, but he's out of the woods. Tim's pulling through though. He has a mild concussion and we've closed up the wounds on his shoulders; there was no nerve damage fortunately. He should be coming around any minute now."

"Already?" Bruce asked.

A guilty expression crossed over Dinah's features. "His surgery was completed a few hours ago. I was going to come right out to tell you but there was an emergency with Superboy so I went to assist Red Tornado first. I'm sorry Br-Batman."

Bruce didn't give her much time to explain herself before he made his way into the med bay. Subconsciously he knew that Dinah was right to go to Superboy's aid, but he was to concerned with Tim at the moment to really care. There was time for explanations later.

Tim was laying down on the cot with his mask off and eyes closed. There were large ace bandages wrapped around his upper arms and shoulders; a sight that caused Bruce to flinch. They were lucky his arms hadn't been sliced off.

Bruce sat down by his bed for the next hour or so, taking care to remind himself that this was Tim, not Jason. He wouldn't...he _couldn't_ lose another son.

Eventually he heard a soft moan and looked up to see Tim's eyes beginning to flutter open. Tim whimpered slightly, his eyes still adjusting to the bright lights above him.

Bruce was at his side right away. "Tim? Timmy?" He knew his youngest hated the nickname Dick has bestowed on him but it never failed to get a reaction.

Tim's eyes focused more as he peered up and saw his guardian hovering over him. "Bruce?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

Bruce nodded as he pulled down his cowl. Tim didn't need this comfort from Batman. He placed his hand on his son's shoulder, gently so as not to agitate the wound. "You're going to be okay Tim. You're going to be just fine." He said this to some extent for his own reassurance as well as Tim's.

"Wha' happened?" Tim said. The fact that he slurred his words alarmed Bruce just as much as the apparent amnesia did. Usually Tim's grammar was impeccable. Lord knows he had lectured Dick a number of times whenever Dick used his butchered words like whelmed or aster. Perhaps they underestimated the severity of his concussion.

"You and Conner were attacked at Commissioner Gordon's address to the city. You don't remember?" Relaying it to Tim seemed to spark something in the boy. His expression changed somewhat as though he were thinking deeply on something. And as quickly as it came, it was replaced by a far more concerning expression.

Tim's whole body snapped to attention and his eyes widened despite how he had to keep shut against the lights a moment ago. He immediately got to work on trying to rip out his IV, before a strong hand gripped his wrist.

"Tim what do you think you're doing?!" Bruce was no stranger to having to force his proteges to take time to recover. That said, it usually only extended to Jason and Dick. Tim had always been rather obedient compared to the other two. What elicited a response like this?

Tim looked directly at him, blue eyes piercing his own. "We have to go back! We have to get him back!"

"Who?!" Bruce demanded.

"DICK!"

Bruce dropped Tim's wrist in shock, allowing the Boy Wonder to continue in removing the IV. He was not proud to admit that for a full minute, he sat there with his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. It was Tim trying to get out of bed and being rewarded with a searing pain in his arm that brought the Dark Knight back to reality.

He pushed Tim back down on the bed, carefully to avoid further pain, and tried to keep his voice level. "Dick was there? What happened? Was he captured?"

Tim shook his head furiously.

Now Bruce had always trusted Robin, no matter who it was that donned the suit. Sure, he may not have always got along with them, but he loved and respected them all, and they returned his feelings in kind. But the next words out of Tim's mouth had him tempted to scream at him that he was a filthy liar.

"It WAS Dick! Dick was the one who attacked us!"

* * *

(One Week Later)

**Wally**

Wally was pacing back and forth around the room so fast he ran the risk of wearing down the floor. He couldn't help it. He needed to find out what was happening!

Batman had initially tried to keep the news of who attacked Tim and Conner a secret from the rest of the Team until he could figure out what happened. But Conner, who had been dosed with every painkiller they had, let it slip that Dick was their assailant and would be assassin of Jim Gordon.

That information spread through the Team like wildfire.

Batman was not pleased.

The result was several closed door meetings with Batman and the rest of the League. Barbara and Tim had been meeting with him in private as well, and declined to share anything with anyone else, per Batman's instruction, of course.

Then suddenly Batman called the Team's founding members to the Watchtower for a meeting regarding Nightwing. Which is how Wally found himself creating a hole in the floor where he paced.

How hard was it to give them some kind of update before this?! This was his best friend they were talking about!

Nightwing had gone missing before Wally got out of the hospital and recovered from the injuries during the Arctic mission. He hadn't seen Dick in over half a year. That, combined with the fact that Nightwing had supposedly attacked Conner and Tim, caused his anxiety to go through the roof.

And it was beginning to damage his relationship with members of the Team.

It started with Conner, when he had first heard the clone's report on the events of that night. The speedster had outright told the clone that he was either a liar, or had lost his mind. Conner had not taken well to the implications, and the fight had nearly gotten physical. Wally was lucky their respective girlfriends had intervened to calm everyone down before Superboy had done something they both regretted.

The next time was with La'gaan. Even though he had gone back into retirement with Artemis and was no longer a member of the Team, he began to constantly show up at the Watchtower to pester Batman for information. It was during one of these visits that he overheard La'gaan saying that he wasn't surprised that Nightwing had turned on them after what he did during the invasion, and that Batman's former protege had outdone himself in finding new ways to betray the Team.

That remark had ended with La'gaan getting a black eye and a broken nose, as well as being benched for the next two weeks. Wally still felt like it wasn't enough.

And then there was Tim. Wally sighed. Unlike the other two, he had absolutely no excuse for the way he had treated Tim. After days he had finally caught Tim in his civvies exiting Gotham Academy. He tried to get him to talk about the situation but Tim had answered that Wally was no longer a part of the Team and Nightwing was not his concern, all in a tone so impassive that it could put his mentor to shame.

Wally had lost it. He demanded to know how Tim could be so callus about the fate of his own brother, and told him he never deserved Dick. When that hadn't gotten a rise out of him, Wally took it a step further, and said that Tim was probably hoping Nightwing wouldn't return so that Tim could be the favorite son.

The next thing he remembered was lying flat on his ass on the pavement with Tim standing over him, a positively enraged look on his face, and blood smeared across his knuckles. Babs had come in seemingly out of nowhere and escorted Tim away from the small crowd their argument had drawn, shooting a dirty look at the redhead as she did so.

Wally supposed the truth was that he simply was angry at himself, and was just taking it out on everyone else. It didn't matter that he had been on bed rest at the time. He could have called Dick. Texted him. But he had been so conflicted over Artemis's 'death' that he hadn't summoned the nerve until it was too late. And now Wally had to wonder if he hadn't ghosted his best friend would any of this have happened?

Not that it was Dick that attacked Conner and Tim. That was simply not a possibility. Shapeshifter? Clone? Android made in his image? He didn't know what it was, but it wasn't Dick. Dick Grayson wasn't _capable_ of betrayal.

"Dude." His cousin's voice caused Wally to stop in his tracks and look over at the time traveler. "I know this is rich coming from me, but you might want to slow it down."

Wally snorted. Yeah, when a kid that everyone knew to be the most energetic person on Earth told you to slow it down, that was a pretty clear message that you were taking it a little too far.

"I'm just saying," Bart continued. "It wouldn't be very crash if you wore down the floor."

Wally relented and took a seat at the meeting table. The other founding members of the Team were there, including Artemis. They both found it odd that they had been invited despite no longer being on active duty. But they agreed that they had to come nevertheless. Bart was only in the room until Batman showed up. Wally was glad that his cousin wanted to lend moral support, but right now Wally was hoping there was something else that Bart could do for him.

"Hey Bart." Wally addressed his fellow speedster, to which Bart perked up. "What...what does history say happened to Nightwing?"

Bart seemed to be caught off guard by the question and rubbed the back of his head. "Well...you know...spoilers..."

"With everything that's already been changed in this timeline, I don't think it matters if you tell us now." Artemis joined in, to which Wally was thankful. "We just want to know."

Bart let out a small sigh. "Well...no one knows exactly. He disappeared just before the Reach officially took over the planet. There were all kinds of rumors of what happened to him. Killed in battle, taken hostage, used in the Reach's experiments...but nothing was ever confirmed. And his..." Bart gulped. "His body was never found."

Wally didn't feel any better after hearing the answer. If anything, he felt worse. Were the people that took Nightwing here the same as those that had in Bart's time? And what did this have to do with the assassin that looked like Dick? His mind still refused to accept that they were the same person.

Apparently, they were about to get their answers.

_Recognized: Batman 02; Robin B 20; Batgirl B 16_

Everyone's attention turned to the Zeta tubes when they announced the arrival of Gotham's local heroes. They all had neutral expressions on their masked faces as they entered.

Robin and Batgirl stuck to Batman's side as he sat at the head of the conference table, neither so much as glancing at Wally. That's what people from the Batclan did. They never outright screamed or yelled when they were upset with you. They were completely passive aggressive and pretended like you didn't exist.

Batman had to clear his voice before speaking. "Kid Flash. This is a meeting of the founding members of the Team. You're excused."

It took Wally a moment to remember that he was talking to Bart. The young speedster mouthed 'good luck' to his predecessor before speeding out of the room, the Zeta tubes announcing his departure.

"As you all know, one week ago Superboy and Robin were attacked by an assailant who attempted to assassinate James Gordon." Wally noticed a small flinch that ran over Batgirl's frame at the mention of her father's name. "While the attempt on his life was unsuccessful, we have placed Gordon in our protection and have lead the public to believe he was killed in the attack. But the most concerning matter is that it appears the assailant was Nightwing."

 _Lies._ Wally added in his mind.

"After investigating the incident and surveying the scene of the attack myself, I now believe that it was in fact Richard Grayson."

"That is bullshit!" Wally couldn't keep himself contained anymore. How could Batman do this?! How could he bring himself to drag his own son's name through the mud?! And how could he do it all in that goddamned callus tone?!

"Sit down Wally!" Kaldur said, sitting up from his own position at the table. But Wally was having none of it.

"You are a goddamn liar! Dick would never do that to Gordon! He wouldn't do that to anyone!"

"Sit down or leave!" Batgirl hissed, her eyes finally meeting Wally's. That's when Wally saw it.

Her eyes were filled with denial too. She didn't want to believe that Dick was capable of this, never mind that fact that it was her father that was almost killed. So whatever it was that Batman had, it must have been good enough to sway her.

That didn't bode well.

It was Artemis putting a hand on his shoulder and urging him to calm down that did the trick.

"Fine." He grumbled as he plopped back down on the chair.

Batman went on as if nothing just happened. "There is something that this Team doesn't know about Nightwing's past. Something that he and I chose to leave buried from the moment we found it."

Another secret? Shocker.

"And I want you _all_ to listen to the entire story so that you can understand why this happened." He said, eyes briefly shifting to Wally.

No one objected, so he went on.

"In Gotham there exists a secret organization, composed entirely of the most elite and influential people of the city. From the shadows they have ruled Gotham with an iron fist since the city's founding. And they will do absolutely anything to maintain that power. Over the course of Gotham's history several people have posed a threat to their way of life without even realizing it, only to suddenly disappear or have an unexplained accident. That is who they are. That is the Court of Owls."

The Court of Owls? That sounded familiar for some reason. Though Wally couldn't remember why.

It was Tim that continued. "The only thing that comes close to evidence of their existence is a nursery rhyme from Gotham. _'Beware the Court of Owls; that watches all the time. Ruling Gotham's shadowed perch; from granite and from lime. They watch you at your hearth; they watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them; or they'll send a Talon for your head.'_ " (4)

That's where he had heard it! Dick had told it to him once when they were kids to scare him. They were real?

"Sounds almost like a fairy tale." M'gann added.

"In a way, it is." Robin responded. "No one's going to go looking for an organization that only exists in a nursery rhyme, nor will they suspect that organization of murder. It provides for the perfect cover and blanket anonymity. As they say, the devil's greatest trick was convincing the world he did not exist."

"What does this have to do with Nightwing though?" Conner asked.

"Nightwing and I only became aware of their existence two years ago, when they sent an assassin to kill me. The 'Talons' that the rhyme refers to are the names given to the assassins that serve the court. The Talon's are the main component to their staying in power." Batman explained before typing on the holographic keyboard before him. In an instant, a 3-D rendering of a man appeared in the center of the table. His appearance was somewhat similar to what Conner told them about Nightwing. The man seemed ordinary enough at first glance. He looked about late twenties and had wavy brown hair. But it only took a moment to realize this man was anything but ordinary. His skin was impossibly pale, like sunlight had never touched him. Black veins swirled up from his neck and crawled across his face, further drawing attention to his eerie yellow eyes. He was wearing a skin tight black unitard with silver blades strapped to his chest, and golden claws at the end of his gloves. One glance and it was obvious. This man was a monster.

"This is the Talon that was sent to kill me. His name is William Cobb...and he is Richard's great-grandfather."

A pregnant silence covered the room as everyone contemplated Batman's words. Wally himself had so many questions swimming through his mind that he couldn't voice them, even to himself. He simply allowed the words to sink in for what seemed like an eternity before allowing himself the first question that popped into his head.

"H-how is that even possible? T-the g-guy would have to be over a hundred years old. Doesn't look a day over thirty." He mumbled, but in this still silence he was sure Batman heard him.

"Talons are no ordinary assassins. They have a powerful chemical in their bloodstream known as electrum. It greatly increases their strength, speed, stamina, and most of all, healing. The wounds they are able to recover from would redefine what you think is possible. In the simplest of terms, they can't die. The only successful way to kill one seems to be decapitation. But even though they are virtually invulnerable, they are still subject to aging, albeit much slower than humans. To prevent their prized assassin's from being rendered useless by the affects of time, Talon's are cryogenically frozen whenever they are not performing a service to the court. This way, they can virtually never age. There are likely Talons far older than Cobb amoung their ranks. It's not a coincidence that he's Richard's great-grandfather and he works for the court. You see, the court is very traditional. In pre-modern times, gladiators were chosen from a group of performers, jesters of the court, fortune tellers, some manner of-"

"Circus." Wally supplied, finally catching on.

Batman nodded curtly. "Exactly. Around the world they have groups of performers under their thumb. Once every decade or so, they choose a child from each group to become a new Talon. Haly's Circus was amoung those controlled by the Court."

"Haly's Circus? The one that Dick grew up in?" M'gann asked.

Slowly, what Batman was saying dawned on the group. The Court only would have wanted the children with the most talent to be their new Talons. And they had seen the footage. Even as the runt of the family, Dick's acrobatics had been, and still are, impeccable. If they were going to choose someone to take in then...

"Dick was supposed to be a Talon." Wally didn't bother to phrase it as a question. It was clear.

It was Babs that responded, her head hanging low. "That's right. The Court had there eyes set on Dick from the moment he was born. They called him the 'Gray Son of Gotham', and believed he would come to be the greatest Talon they ever created."

"Why didn't any of us know about this?" Artemis demanded, standing up. Wally understood why. Dick was their friend. His best friend. They knew each others identities even as kids. They told each other _everything_. And even though it wasn't easy, M'gann, Conner, and Artemis trusted the Team with their secrets a long time ago (5). Why didn't Dick do the same?

"Because he didn't know." Batman responded. "Neither of us did. Not until two years ago. At the time I met and took in Dick I had no idea of the Court's plans for him, or his ancestry. It appears I got to him in the nick of time. The Court was planning to steal him from the juvenile ward he had been placed in before I took him in."

"But you _did_ find out. Why weren't we told then? Again with the secrets..." Conner trailed off. After sighing the clone looked at the two Dark Squires. "And you two? You knew about this too?"

"Tim didn't." Babs answered for both of them. "It was before his time as Robin. I found out by accident. I ran my own background check on Cobb when Batman asked me to help him investigate the Court. From there I found that Cobb had a single son whose surname was changed to Grayson and was sent to live with the performers at Haly's Circus. It wasn't hard to put the rest together."

"As for why you weren't told, I left that decision to Nightwing. I believe he didn't tell you because he didn't want you to think less of him." Batman added.

"Less of him?! Over his family?!" Artemis asked, clearly frustrated with Nightwing's choice. "Between Conner, Kaldur, and I, bad blood isn't exactly a new thing for this Team. He really thought we would hold him responsible because his great-grandfather is-"

"Not _just_ his great-grandfather." Batgirl interrupted. "Cobb's bloodline stretches back to the Court's founding. There are generations on generations of Cobbs who became Talons. It's a legacy Artemis. Talon's are chosen primarily by relatives the Court has already taken in. I wouldn't be surprised if _most_ of the Talons are related to Dick in some fashion. It's a sad thing to contemplate, but Dick's family tree is stained with blood."

That caused the stunned silence to creep in again. They had to admit, that was more understandable. It was one thing to have one or two relatives that were criminals, but to have nearly every person in you gene pool be a mindless killer? Anyone would be ashamed of that.

It was Tim who cleared the silence. "That's enough about the past. We need to focus on what's happening to Dick _now._ "

"What _is_ happening?" Wally asked. "I mean yeah, that stuff about his family sucks. But how does that-"

"Because we think that Dick _is_ a Talon now." Barbara said, not able to hide the shaking in her voice.

Everything Wally had been about to say; what this had to do with Dick, more denials about him being the assassin, demanding an explanation on why the Court would go after Gordon...that single sentence caused it all to just slip away from mind and mouth.

No.

No, that wasn't right. It couldn't be. Batman had just described Talon's as being blood thirsty monsters, not able to remember anything but their last kill. Not able to look _forward_ to anything but their next. That wasn't Dick. That was as far from Dick Grayson as one could get.

No.

No it didn't happen often, but Batman was _wrong._

"That can't be." Wally managed, finally finding his voice again. "You...you said that they were taken as _kids._ "

Batman somehow managed to maintain his ever-present cold tone. "While it's true that they normally undergo the procedure as children, it is not impossible to complete the transformation to Talon as an adult." He answered, stoically as ever.

Wally shook his head furiously. "No. No! Even if they did take Dick and turn him into one of those...one of those _things,_ he would never hurt anyone that didn't have it coming!"

Tim looked down at his feet. Despite all the training he had from Batman in terms of hiding his emotions, he was trembling. "W-we think we have an explanation for that too."

Batman, seeing that Robin couldn't bring himself to say it, took over. "In my research on the Court we discovered that upon arrival, the Court ensures the compliance of their Talons using a very intense form of conditioning."

"Conditioning?!" Kaldur repeated. Even he could not remain calm given the information they were processing. "You mean _torture_!"

Torture.

Wally went limp and slumped down in his seat.

Torture.

That word was impossibly surreal. That couldn't be. That was not something that happened to people that you _cared_ about. It happened to other people in history. It happened in some parts of the world today. But it didn't happen to Dick. It couldn't have happened to his best friend. He was the original Boy Wonder for crying out loud! The _first_ sidekick! Of everything else he had denied; Dick being a Talon, being the assailant, being related to Cobb, this is the one that simply could _not_ be true. Please let it not be true!

But in his heart he knew it was. The stray tears in Barbara's eyes. The quiver of Tim's lower lip. The way Batman clenched his fist and scrubbed a hand over his face clinched it though. Batman _never_ broke posture.

"Oh God." Wally said under his breath, completely horrified. "What...what did they do to him?" His voice was so small he wondered if anyone heard him, even with the silence of the room.

"I don't know..." Batman mumbled. Even though he knew about this in advance, being confronted by the truth like this couldn't have been easy. "All I know is that after being subjected to this process, Talon's don't seem to retain any of their former personas. They only have one drive. Obedience."

Wally shook his head. No. He couldn't listen to this anymore. This wasn't real. This was all some masterfully orchestrated joke. Any minute now Dick would burst out of the corner, scare him senseless, and start laughing his ass off. Any minute now...

"Wally." Artemis' voice managed to get through to him. "Breathe."

Right. Breathing was a thing. Breathing was good. He complied, releasing the breath he didn't realize he had been holding in before inhaling deeply. In. Out. In. Out.

"Oh God." He whispered shakily. "Oh God. Oh God Arty. How did this happen? What are we going to do? What if...what if..."

_What if we can't get Dick back? What if we're too late? What if he's gone?_

"Wally." Artemis said. "We _will_ get him back. He's not gone. I won't let him be."

From her responses Wally realized he must have said that last part out loud.

Wally continued to breathe deeply until it no longer felt difficult. Once he felt comfortable he looked around the room and saw the entire Team staring at him intently. He didn't realize he had caused a seen with his panic attack.

Once Kaldur was satisfied that his comrade was okay, he turned to their de-facto leader. "What would you have us do?"

The next words caused yet another stunned silence to pass over the group.

"This Team is going to infiltrate the Court of Owls. You will find Nightwing. And you will bring him back."

* * *

(The following night)

Wally blew the black strands of synthetic hair out of his eyes yet again. God he hated this wig. It seemed foolish, but Batman was convinced that his red hair would draw unnecessary attention.

The plan was relatively straight forward. For the first time, Batman would be breaking his 'no metas in Gotham' rule. The original members of the Team would all be going to the Court under the guise of being members. Luckily Batman had secured a few owl masks from his previous encounter with the Court, and Robin had picked up chatter on the location of tonight's meeting by hacking the emails of all known members. Once they were in, they would do there best to locate Dick. After that was accomplished, they would alert the League, who would mount an attack from the outside. The Talons would surely be sent to stop it, leaving them to ambush Dick and capture him so they could get him back to the Watchtower.

It still bothered Wally. The idea of thinking about Dick as a target. He was their friend. Wally still couldn't quite wrap his head around the idea that Dick was to be considered an enemy.

"We'll be there shortly. Best prepare." Alfred called from the other side of the limousine's divider.

Wally took a brief look around. He, Tim, Conner, and Kaldur were all wearing ordinary suits and ties (Kaldur's collar was somewhat higher up his neck to hid his gills, and he wore gloves to conceal his webbed hands). Apparently younger members of the Court were not completely irregular, so Tim's presence would not be that odd. Beside him was Artemis, wearing a white dress with a single strap on her right shoulder, with a large pearl necklace on. He forced himself not to get caught up on how radiant she looked and look over everyone else. Apparently, the red hair limitations were not exclusive to him. Barbara was wearing a blonde wig and seemed to hate it as much as he did. She had on a high slit red dress and matching red heels. That left M'gann. She had used her shape-shifting abilities to take on the form of a middle aged woman with blond curly hair that was slowly becoming grey. She had on a gold dress and a fur coat on top of that, with all manner of jewelry adorning her person. A look that practically screamed wealth.

The form she had taken was apparently that of Maria Powers, a prominent member of the Court who Batman had captured the night before. This way if they came under suspicion, M'gann could remove her mask and vogue for the rest of them and if worst came to worst, use her telepathic powers.

"Okay, you're all going to need these." Tim said as he and Barbara began handing out the Owl masks, along with strange syringes filled with a clear liquid.

"What are these?"

"They're needles made completely out of glass and reinforced polymer, so it won't come up on metal detectors." Tim responded.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure he meant what's actually _inside_ the needles." Conner added.

Tim sighed. "Look...none of us want to face it but that fact is that when we find Dick, he'll likely attack us. Now besides decapitation, the only way to stop a Talon without lethal force is using the cold, the same way the Court does to put them in cryosleep." He explained before lifting one of the needles. "These are filled with liquid nitrogen. If you're cornered, inject it into his bloodstream."

Wally didn't mean to snarl, but he couldn't help it. There was no way this was safe. Part of his brain was still coming to grips with the fact that Dick was no longer human. And even then, there was a chance this could still somehow harm him. He _hated_ it.

Tim clearly caught on to it. "I don't like it either but we have no choice. If we screw this up we'll never get an opportunity like it again."

"Yeah I get it." Wally said as he tucked the needle into the pocket of his coat.

Barbara narrowed her eyes at him. "Ok, what's your deal? And if you say nothing I'll slap you."

Wally groaned. He almost commented on the hypocrisy of a member of the Batclan lecturing him on expressing his emotions. Instead, he relented.

"For the last few days I've been acting like an ass to all of you. I guess I couldn't decide who I was most angry at. Tim for not telling me what was going on. Conner for accusing Dick of attacking them. Even Dick for not telling me about this whole Talon thing. I mean were best friends and he thought he couldn't tell me something like that." Then he let out a long sigh. "And you know what? He was probably right not to. I've been such a jerk to him lately. I completely ignored his existence for weeks. If it weren't for you going over to his place to check on him, I probably never would have found out he was missing. And who knows? Maybe the fact that I iced him out is what let the Court take him. Maybe this is on me."

Tim and Babs looked to each other. Unlike the rest of the Team, they never lost touch with Dick after he left the Team. And they knew he had missed his best friend over the last few months. Even though they were pissed at him for leaving Dick like that, Dick wouldn't want them to leave Wally that way.

"That's not true Wally. The night it happened Nightwing got injured in a fight with Harely Quinn. That's the reason I went to check on him. The Court was just waiting until he was injured to take him. There's nothing any of us could have done." Barbara reassured.

Wally sighed, not entirely believing her. "Yeah if you say so." Then he raised his eyes to hers. "Let me ask you something. Why did Batman call us in? I mean, I'm grateful. But I'm not exactly his favorite person right now. And Artemis and I aren't with the Team anymore."

Tim answered before Barbara got the chance. "It was my idea. If we do end up having to fight Dick, I was hoping that seeing people that he has a better connection with would jog something. I know it's a long shot but right now Dick doesn't know what he's doing."

"Maybe he does." Barbara mumbled. Everyone looked at her with an expression of shock, save Tim who looked downright furious.

"BABS!" He shouted.

Barbara countered his glare with her own. "No I need to tell them. I don't care if you and Bruce think I'm crazy. They need to hear this."

"Hear what?" Kaldur asked.

Despite the glares from Tim, Babs turned to the group. "Look, my dad surviving shouldn't have been possible. We've linked hundred of deaths in Gotham to the Court. This is the first time a hit took place where the target survived. Talons have impeccable senses, so missing is nearly impossible."

"But he didn't miss." Wally interrupted. "He got a clean shot off."

Barbara shook her head. "You don't understand. There are very few places on the body where you can shoot someone without hitting an organ or causing severe damage to the skeletal structure. My dad happened to be hit in one of those places. If it weren't for the fact he's under League supervision, he'd be out of bed rest by now."

Wally still didn't quite see what she was getting at. "Okay. So he made a bad shot. It happens."

Barbara shook her head again. "Not with Dick. _Definitely_ not with a Talon. Plus, those guards all made full recoveries because they were stabbed in similar locations. The chances of hitting those spots on four different people are astronomical. I don't think it was an accident."

Now Wally was finally catching on. And he couldn't help but pray that she was right. "Are you saying..."

"I don't think that Dick is under their control." Babs said with determination in her eyes. "I think he's playing the Court."

Before anyone could share their thoughts on her theory, Alfred announced their arrival.

* * *

**Kaldur**

Once they were inside, they were escorted to a room roughly resembling an amphitheater. They all took seats closest to the center. The center of the arena itself was serveal feet lower from the balcony where they were sitting, and was completely marbled. It was also covered in blood.

In the center there were a pair of Talons fighting each other to the death. It was incredibly disturbing. One had an arm completely torn off and the other had several knives sticking out of his chest. And they just wouldn't stop. If Batman was right about the healing, nothing would make them.

 _"What is the purpose of this?"_ Kaldur asked through the mental link M'gann had set up.

Tim gave a disgusted groan. _"Right now the Court is waiting for their leader, The Judge of Owls, to arrive. This is their... **entertainment**." _Tim spat the last word like venom. Kaldur could not blame him. There was enough death and violence in the world. He couldn't imagine watching it for fun.

And yet that ended up all they would be doing for the next hour or so. Eventually one of the Talon's had his other arm destroyed and could no longer fight. Not until they reattached it that was.

Then more Talon's came into the arena. Three emerged from one side, wearing identical uniforms. But another came from the opposite side, wearing a uniform adorned with gold plating.

 _"Oh my God."_ Tim's thought leaked into their link.

 _"Robin, what's wrong?"_ Artemis asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

 _"That Talon, the one in gold...that's the uniform we saw Dick wearing."_ Conner answered, causing all eyes to fly to him. Only for a moment though. Then their attention was pulled back to the Talons.

The three Talons were the first to move. They ran directly at their adversary with incredible speed. But as soon as one got close and attempted to swipe at the Gold Talon with its clawed hands, the Gold Talon's own claws shot up and grabbed its wrist. Once the others got close he swung the Talon like a weapon and caused the other two to get knocked back and hit the ground, before he threw the Talon he was holding at the wall with so much force that it caved in slightly. The Gold Talon then threw a pair of knives at the Talon on the wall, burying them in its wrists and pinning him to the wall. The other two got up and tried to come at him again, one taking out a large dagger. The Gold Talon grabbed its knife hand with both and and snapped its arm backwards. The Talon dropped the knife just as the other came at the Gold Talon. He flipped the Talon over by its broken arm and grabbed the knife as it was falling, promptly burying it in the oncoming Talon's head. The last Talon tried to get up, but once it was on it knees the Gold Talon snaked his hand around its' jaw before snapping its' neck.

The theater was filled with clapping from the Owls as more Talons came in and carted off those defeated.

Another Talon came in, but the sight was far more disturbing then the others. It was a child. A girl no more than eight or so. She had her head completely shaved, and her skin was just as pale as the others. Black veins covered her face and neck, as well as her exposed arms. She was wearing a small grey uniform with short sleeves, which showed off the several scars decorating her body. She was carrying a tray with a water bottle and a towel and she looked ahead with a blank, faraway stare. The sight of her made Kaldur's heart sink.

The Gold Talon walked over to her before removing his hood, sending a collective chill over the group. A small part of them had been hoping that Conner and Tim had been mistaken. But now, there was no denying it. That was indeed Nightwing, carrying the exact same expression that said he was numb to the world around him.

 _"Oh God...Dick."_ They didn't need the mental link to know what Wally was thinking.

A series of emotions was sent across the link. Guilt, horror, fear. Kaldur had no idea which emotions were coming from which members of the Team. He was only aware of what he felt. Rage. This wasn't right. Dick had always been the best of them. Despite working with Batman, despite working in Gotham, despite all the awful things he had seen on a daily basis, he never gave up hope. And for the Court to take this noble hero and twist him into something dark and unrecognizable. It was _unforgivable_.

Dick placed the hood on the girl's platter and took the bottle, uncapping it and taking a few sips. Then he wiped his face with the towel and put both back on the platter, gesturing for the girl to leave. She did so with a slight bow of her head.

"Gray Son." A new voice called from the stands. They group turned to see another Owl, though this one was different. His mask was splattered red and he had a black cloak on. They recognized him from the mission briefing. This was the Judge of Owls. The Leader of the Court. "That was quite the impressive display. Your skills are improving."

Dick approached the balcony the Judge stood at before getting down on one knee and bowing his head. "I live to serve the Court, Grandmaster." It took an effort not to flinch at how raw and unused Dick's voice sounded.

"It almost makes up for your failures." The Judge added, his tone turning dark.

Dick's head snapped up and the emotionless mask slipped, fear igniting in his yellow eyes. "Failures, Grandmaster?"

"Shall I list them?" The Judge hissed. "Your mission was an utter failure. Our sources report that James Gordon survived your attempt on his life!"

Dick's head went back down to a bow. "I apologize Grandmaster. I will rectify thi-"

"You will hold your tongue unless you wish to lose it!" The Judge barked, leaning against the rail. "You also failed to eliminate the heroes from the Justice Leagues' covert Team, Robin and Superboy! You lost your hood and allowed you identity to be revealed, compromising the Court! And the most egregious of your failures. You abandoned the kryptonite infused talons provided to us by our partners with the Light! Lex Luthor will be in no hurry to replace the ones you lost!"

Kaldur's eyes widened. There was a partnership between the Light and the Court? Was it legitimate? Were they more scapegoats like the Reach had been? Whatever the reason, Dick seemed to have other concerns.

His entire form was trembling, and he refused to look up at the Judge. "G-grandmaster. T-th-there's no excuse for my actions. I have failed you."

"At last he speaks truly." The Judge sneered. "Perhaps you are overdue for punishment. A spell in the cryochamber will do you good."

Dick's face went even paler if that was possible and his eyes flashed with golden light as he spoke. "N-No! I have failed but I will redeem myself! I am the loyal servant of the Court of Owls! The Gray Son of Gotham! I beg your forgiveness Grandmaster!" Dick's responses were laced with a hysterical edge. Even if Batgirl was correct and he was playing the Court for fools, this was real. That amount of terror could not be faked.

"There is no forgiveness in this Court. Only penance." The Judge responded. "Talon!"

No one noticed the second Talon that had been sneaking up on Dick until he yanked the younger Talon up in a choke hold and injected something into his neck. They recognized him instantly. William Cobb.

The elder Talon kept his arm around his descendant's neck until he went limp in his arms. He then lifted him up bridle style and walked out of the room slowly.

Kaldur felt a strong sense of wrath and resentment come in over the link. He looked over and saw Wally gripping the arm of his chair so hard that the wood was beginning to chip. _"Calm down Kid. If we want to help Dick we can't react and need to stick to the plan!"_

The original Kid Flash growled but relented and sank into his seat.

Suddenly, the entire structure began to shake. At first they thought it was an earthquake, but a voice sounded over the speakers saying otherwise. "Evacuate the facility! The Justice League is attacking the entrance! Make to the nearest exit!"

That was there cue. Blending into the evacuating crowd, they ducked out into a conference room and stripped out of their suits, their uniforms laying just beneath the fabric.

It was time to get Dick out of this godforsaken place.

* * *

They were currently making their way through the Court's labyrinth. Robin had a holographic map constructed during Batman's last confrontation with the Court.

They were going to the center. The place where they kept the slumbering Talons.

Once they got there, they were greeted by the sight of an enormous fountain; the waters pouring from a giant owl statue. Lined up and leaning against the walls of the room were what looked like coffins.

"There are people inside them." Superboy said, using his x-ray vision. He narrowed his eyes at them though. "It's weird though. I don't hear any heartbeats."

"That's not unusual." Robin responded. "Talon's have very slow heartbeats. About one every five minutes."

They began to search the tanks. There was a clear layer at eye level for each one that allowed one to look inside and see the Talon within. Many of them were young. Too young.

Kaldur scoffed at the thought. As if one could ever be old enough for this to be acceptable.

"I found him!" Wally yelled at the top of his lungs. They all gathered around the coffin he was facing. Through the clear layer they saw their long time comrade inside with his eyes closed, but his face contorted in fear.

He looked dead.

It vaguely reminded Kaldur of when they had found Superboy in his Cadmus pod. Based on how Superboy was clenching his fist hard enough to draw blood, he wasn't the only one who thought it.

"We have to get him out of there." Wally said before scouring the coffin to find a way to open it.

"Wait!" Artemis said as she grabbed her boyfriend's shoulder. "We need to think about this."

"What's there to think about?! That's Dick! You saw that out there. He was terrified of going back in there. He could be in pain right now!" Wally looked at her like she was certifiable. How was leaving him in there even an option?!

"He attacked us Kid." Superboy said, trying to defuse the situation, keeping his hands raised in a nonthreatening manner. "He's dangerous."

"Oh yeah?! The moment we found you in Cadmus he worked to get you out!"

"And how did that work out for you?!" Superboy wasn't proud of the fact that he had attacked his teammates after being freed. But the fact was now the situation was reversed. And they knew better this time. He didn't like the idea of leaving someone in one of those damn pods, but the alternative did not bare thinking.

"So what then?!" Wally demanded, throwing his hands up in the air. "You want to carry out the whole coffin?!"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible." A new voice said from the shadows. They all looked around for the source, but were pulled from it when a small circular device dropped from above and landed in the center of the group, a small beeping noise sounding its arrival.

"Get down now!" Kaldur ordered.

Everyone did their best to get away from the grenade, but M'gann's side still got hit by a piece of shrapnel. She shouted out in pain as she fell to her knees, Conner arriving at her side instantly.

Once they were all on the other side of the fountain, a shadow dropped from the ceiling and landed in front of Dick's coffin. It was Cobb. He had on the most disgusting grin any of them had ever seen. "Don't be so surprised. The Court was aware of your arrival from the moment you stepped foot in the facility. Our sensors allow us to pick up on the presence of meta-humans, or any non-human DNA."

Kaldur stood up and used his water-bearers to collect water from the fountain and mold them into a pair of blades. "The Justice League is coming. They attack this base even as we speak. You cannot hope to win no matter how many Talons you have. Allow us to leave with Richard Grayson and perhaps we can come to an arrangement."

Cobb's grin only widened. "I'm afraid the League won't get here in time." He said as he pressed button on the side of Dick's coffin. Then the lid made a hissing sound as it turned on its hinges and swung wide open. The sight made Kaldur sick to his stomach. On the inside of the coffin's lid was heavily oxidized blood that coated several claw marks. Embedded in one of these long cuts was something jutting out from the metal, which Kaldur realized with a start was a fingernail. Dick must have been scratching to get out. And some of the blood was fresh.

"As for the Gray Son, he is the property of the Court of Owls. He goes nowhere. But since you're so invested in helping him..." Cobb took out a syringe before promptly injecting it right into Dick's neck. "...you'd be the perfect opportunity for him to redeem himself."

The effect the serum had on him was instantaneous. Dick's hand snapped up, breaking the layer of frost that had formed over his clawed hands, and gripped the edge of the coffin. The other hand did the same. Then his eyes snapped open. He looked around the room for a moment, taking in his surroundings. His gaze seemed to barely drift over the Team before it finally settled on Cobb. Taking a step out of the coffin, Dick immediately got to one knee and bowed before Cobb.

"Take them down."

The reaction was immediate. Dick's form sprung to life and he leapt into the air, landing on the side of the owl statue before kicking off to send himself flying at Superboy and landing a well placed kick to his jaw. Superboy lost his balance but refused to let himself fall. In his disoriented state, the young Talon took the opportunity to swipe at him with his claws, giving him severe cuts to the face.

Kaldur took action and used his water-bearers to attack. The water from the fountain blasted Dick before taking form and locking him in a small dome of the liquid. Dick fought to get to the surface of the bubble but Kaldur willed the current of the water to keep him in place. He would keep Dick there until he ran out of air and passed out. However, Dick reached behind him and pulled out a grenade identical to the one Cobb just attacked them with. Without a moments hesitation, Dick pulled the pin. Aqualad didn't have time to react as Kid Flash suddenly yanked him off his feet and carried him out of range just as the bomb went off in Dick's hand.

The water burst and spilled all over the room, but Dick was still standing. While the water had muffled some of the impact of the explosion, his hand was nearly destroyed. Fingers were bent at odd angles and a layer skin had been all but blown off, revealing a layer of pink and red beneath it. The Team watched in morbid fascination as the bones seemed to snap back into place and correct themselves, while the tearing of the skin stitched itself back together. Dick's expression didn't change in the least as it happened. It was as though he had been through this a million times before. Given what they knew about the Court, he probably had.

Dick went after Superboy again, who was still clutching the lashes on his cheek. Miss Martian responded in like by using her telekinesis to raise him into the air and did her best to keep him from moving. Dick fought past her grip and launched another device at her. This one was a type of red circular disk. It attached itself to her forehead before she could react, and sent powerful electric shocks through her whole body. M'gann screamed and clutched her head as she fell to the ground.

"M'gann!" Conner ignored the pain in his face as he ran towards her, only to have a throwing knife sent through his back while his guard was down. He pushed down the pain and still tried to run to her, but the room started to spin. This wasn't kryptonite, he could tell. The knife. It had been coated in some type of tranquilizer. Superboy collapsed just arms length away from M'gann.

Kid Flash had enough of this. Talons were fast, but they were no speedsters. He ran at Dick and got behind him, grabbing Dick's right wrist with his left hand and left wrist with his right. He then pulled the both back towards him, forcing Dick's arms to cross over each other. Dick snarled animalistically and tried to break free of Wally's grasp. The red head refused to let him.

"Dick it's us! We're your friends! You don't have to listen to them!" His words fell on deaf ears as Dick jerked his head backwards, the back of his head colliding with Wally's nose. It wasn't broken but it certainly didn't tickle. Taking full advantage of the injury, Dick managed to break one arm free of Wally's hold and elbowed him in the gut. Dick got his other hand free and back-handed Wally in the jaw, sending him crashing into the wall. Wally, just barely conscious, tried to get up only for Dick to grab him by the throat and hoist him up.

He seemed intent running Wally through with his claws when an arrowhead burst through his chest. Dick snarled and turned towards the source to see Tigress firing another arrow at him, this one sinking into his shoulder. It seemed like the Talon would rush her when Wally took out his syringe and plunged it into the arm holding him. Dick retracted his arm like he had been burned. But it was too late. Wally had managed to press down the plunger.

Dick ripped the needle out of his arm as a cold feeling ran up the limb. That's when Batgirl and Robin both attacked him from above. He evaded Batgirl's attack, but Robin had managed to punch him square in the jaw. Dick managed to stay on his feet, but his arm was limping to the side like he couldn't move it.

Tim grunted. It looked like they would have to inject the liquid nitrogen directly to his chest or neck.

Dick let out a snarl as he pulled the arrows from his chest and shoulder using his good arm. The wounds closed the moment the arrows were gone. Tigress came at him while he was preoccupied. Dick's reflexes kicked in and blocked her katana with with a large silver dagger. He could see Robin coming towards him out of the corner of his eye and swung at him with the dagger, but the Boy Wonder narrowly dodged it. Though he was rewarded for his efforts with a thin cut across his chest.

Batgirl went in for the finishing blow. While distracted by Robin she snuck up behind Dick until he was in arms reach and plunged the needle into the back of his shoulder. He turned and tried to swipe at her but she got out of the way in the nick of time.

Everyone looked on in morbid fascination as Dick began to claw savagely at the area he had been injected, tearing apart his own skin. He was likely trying to open it up to drain out the liquid nitrogen but it was too late. Red ice poured from the wound before it closed up and Dick wrapped his arm around himself, fell to his knees, and started to shake from the unyielding cold. It was painful, they could tell. The sight caused the smallest pit of regret to form in Barbara's stomach. She couldn't ignore the absolutely _terrified_ look on Dick's face as he fell to the ground and his breathing slowed before it stopped altogether and his eyes rolled back.

They seemed to pause a few moments, as though to make sure it was really over. Dick didn't move a muscle. Didn't so much as twitch. Wally, still disoriented, made his way over to lift Dick up and get him out of here, when a knife came out of nowhere and struck his foot.

He let out a shout, more out of shock than actual pain, and looked up.

Talons.

They were everywhere. They were at the edge of the top of the labyrinth wall and beginning to slide down and take their stance in the room. There were dozens. Maybe even hundreds.

Batgirl and Robin fought them off for as long as they could, but eventually they were overpowered by the sheer number of them. Both were knocked to the ground and didn't get up. Wally was not able to put up much of a fight, his foot still pinned to the ground. He did his best but he too was taken down. Tigress put up the best fight. Following Batman's advice and going for the head (6), she managed to take out several Talons and insured they would not get up. But eventually another Talon's blade broke through her own before sending her flying directly into the owl statue, before she fell to the ground defeated.

That left Kaldur. He supposed he had been fortunate, fighting next to the fountain was like being able to battle next to a fully stocked armory. The water helped him keep Talons away while he was able to pressurize it so it could slice through the flesh. But one last Talon dropped in between him and his water barrier. Cobb. Kaldur went after him with a water blade only for Cobb to dodge it and grab his sword hand. Stuck in that position, he could do nothing as Cobb struck him in the jaw and sent him flying into the fountain. The Atlantean was about to get up when a strong hand gripped the back of his neck and pushed him further down into the water. Being able to breathe underwater, that was hardly a concern. Kaldur lit up the markings on his body, allowing him to send an electric current through the water. He felt the body atop his own convulse wildly before falling into the water as well.

But when Kaldur tried to stand up, he almost fell right back down. The whole world was spinning. Everything he saw looked blurred out. He felt sick.

The fountain water. It had been drugged. Kaldur managed to take a few steps forward before he collapsed to the ground. The last thing he saw before the darkness set in was Cobb's smirking face.

* * *

**Barbara**

She was the first to come to. She felt incredible dazed and confused.

The first thing she noticed was that she was bound. She looked up to find a pair of metal braces were confining her wrists to the wall behind her. She looked to the side and saw all her teammates unconscious and in a similar state of bondage. There were also inhibitor collars on all of them except Tigress and Robin.

"I'm surprised you're the first to wake." A voice called out. Her head whipped ahead to see Cobb sitting on the edge of the fountain, an unconscious Dick laid out on his lap as he dug through a medical bag of sorts at his side. "We took care to drug you all just in case. I thought it would be the speedster who woke up first. Perhaps the collar wears down his metabolism as well."

Cobb then withdrew a needle from the bag filled with a strange blue liquid. He then pulled back the collar of Dick's suit and gave him yet another injection into one of his very visible black veins.

"What are you doing to him?!" Batgirl demanded in an accusatory tone.

He looked at her and arched a brow. "Only undoing what you and your friends did. Liquid nitrogen? Now that was clever. But the Court always has contingencies for such... _annoyances_."

Ignoring that comment, Batgirl looked around the room. Besides the headless bodies of Talons and the black-stained blood, it was empty. Not even the coffins remained anymore. Besides Dick and Cobb, there were only three Talons in the room, lined up next to each other with their arms folded behind their backs. "Where are the Talons?"

"They were sent outside to deal with your mentors. The Justice League is without doubt a force to be reckoned with, but even they cannot kill that which is already dead."

Barbara had never been good at pulling off the batglare, but she sent him the strongest one she could muster. He wasn't looking at her though. His eyes were locked on Dick. Deciding to make a better use of her time, Barbara looked next to her. Wally was the closest one, and her legs were unbound. She kicked his leg with hers a few times. "Wake up!"

Wally's eyes came open slowly. "Wha happnd?" He asked groggily. He underwent the same process of looking around the room but when his eyes landed on Dick, his whole body snapped to attention. "DICK!"

There was no response from their friends still form. Only the small rising and falling of his chest that assured them he was alive.

Wally gave Cobb a glare that could melt steel. "Whatever you did to him, we _will_ get him back! Then we're going to burn your Court to the _fucking_ ground!"

Cobb gave a throaty chuckle at Wally's words and finally looked up at them, his yellow eyes taking in their anger. "'Whatever I did'? I merely gave him back his birthright. The one that Wayne stole away from him." Cobb then turned all his attention to Babs. "You really must thank your mentor for me though. We can only train Talons to such a degree. But Wayne? He actually went through the courtesy of teaching this young man how to defeat metas. He is our _perfect weapon._ "

"He's not a weapon!" None of them realized Conner had woken up until he shouted out. Babs turned and saw that a lot of the others were beginning to come to as well. "And he's not yours! He's our friend! And he's leaving here with us!"

Cobb smirked at the clone. "Oh dear boy. You won't be leaving here with him. In fact, you won't be leaving here at all."

They noticed Dick beginning to stir in Cobb's arms. His eyes began to flutter open. Once he saw Cobb, he sprung up and got back down to that same bowing position.

It was revolting to watch. Dick was too much of a free spirit to have blind loyalty to anyone. Not even Bruce! He sure as hell shouldn't be showing it to this bastard!

"At ease." Cobb said. Dick got back up and stood straight with a posture like he had a board nailed to his back. Cobb looked back and forth between Dick and the Team and smiled like something just occurred to him. "Gray Son. These people seem to be under the impression that I have kidnapped you and forced you here against your will. I'll tell you what, after all your training you probably know the Labyrinth like the back of your hand. You know the quickest way to the exit. Leave if you wish. I won't stop you."

Dick looked at him like he didn't understand what he was being told. It was heartbreaking. "I cannot do that Grandmaster."

"And why not?" Cobb asked.

"I belong to the Court of Owls."

"And without them?"

"I am nothing."

Dick answered every question without missing a beat. Those words were not his own. They had likely been drilled into him everyday since his arrival here. It was sickening.

"You failed us again Gray Son." Cobb's words pulled Barbara from her musings. "You were told to defeat these people, yet you only took down two before your own loss. But there is something else you can do for us."

Dick seemed to perk up at Cobb's words. "What would you have me do Grandmaster?"

Cobb got up and walked over to Dick before cupping his great-grandson's chin. "On the Court's order...kill them all."

Babs saw Cobb's grip tighten as he said his next words. "You have been given a second chance. You will not be given a third chance."

Once he released Dick's chin, the ebony nodded without hesitation. "Yes Grandmaster."

Cobb smiled as he turned and began to walk out of the room. "Wait for our orders, Gray Son."

Babs craned her head to see Cobb walking out the exit. "Where are you going?!"

Cobb's cackle rang through the room as he left. "I wish to see the look on the Justice League's faces when they watch you all die at the hands of your friend."

* * *

**Bruce**

Fighting the Talon's seemed like it would never end. Even using lethal force, it was fruitless unless enough damage was done to the head. And they just kept coming.

The League had been scattered. Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman had all went off into various areas the Talons had run off to in an attempt to prevent them from attacking civilians.

This left Bruce to face the Talons that poured out of the entrance alone. He threw batarang after batarang, but was like trying to climbing a wall of ice. There were currently five Talons circled around him, and they all healed faster than he could injure them. They were expert fighters, and more than likely had several centuries worth of experience. 

It wasn't just a matter of healing and knowledge though. They all moved in a particular fashion. They all moved like Nightwing. 

This was all of Dick's natural talent bent in a twisted way that his own tutelage never allowed for. This was not meant to simply incapacitate or capture a target. It was meant to kill them. 

"Halt." A voice commanded. All at once the Talons stopped their assault. They stopped whatever they were doing and simply fell to their knees in a sort of bow. Out of the entrance to the Court came a strange looking Owl.

This one had a mask that was red, like it had been splattered with blood. And the bulk of their body was hidden underneath a black robe that with a hood. Batman knew who it was immediately.

"The Judge of Owls." He ground out.

The Judge seemed amused. "I see my reputation proceeds me. I must say I-"

"My entire life..." Batman interrupted, not caring what the Judge had to say. "...I've never killed anyone. I've been tempted of course, and I'd be lying if I said I've never met people that deserve to skip due process. People that truly deserve to suffer and die. Yet I've restrained myself. Every. Single. Time." His gaze never left the Judge, even as he pulled a pair of batarangs from his belt with sharpened off edges. "But what you did to my son...I may just be able to make an exception."

The Judge chuckled at his remark. "Look at all the Talons around you. You'd never get within ten feet."

Batman knew he was right. He also knew the threat was veiled. He couldn't do it. He wished to God that he could bring himself to end this man's life. But he knew that if he let himself go there, he would never come back. This man had already taken Dick from him. He didn't get to take his soul.

"Now as I was saying, I was hoping that the entire League would be present for this part." He said as he pulled out a holo-projector. "But I suppose you'll do." And with that, an image sprung to life.

It was Dick, with the other members of the Team right before him chained to the wall. Batman clenched his teeth hard enough to chip them. The mission had failed.

* * *

**Barbara**

_"Begin."_ A voice said over the speakers in the room.

At once, Dick got up from his seat at the fountain and walked over to Barbara. She was ashamed to admit how scared she was at that moment. She had been trained by freaking _Batman._ She was supposed to be stronger than this. But when she starred into Dick's soulless yellow eyes, her hope eroded.

She accepted that she had been wrong. She must have been. No one could have taken what the Court put him through and come out the other side of it unscathed. And the ferocity and indifference with which he attacked them could not be faked. This was real. This was Dick.

When he was close to her, he stopped in his tracks. With one hand he clutched a handful of knives on his chest while with the other, he reached out and cupped her face. Barbara had no idea how she managed not to scream.

That's when Dick's expression changed. The cold mask they had seen thus far slipped to reveal one of sadness and regret.

"I'm so sorry..."

Before anyone could react, Dick turned and flung the three knives at the Talons behind him. Each knife was planted firmly between there eyes. Each one fell to the ground with a dull _thud_.

Dick turned back towards her and ripped her cuffs from the wall with his advanced strength.

Barbara, still shocked, let herself sink to the floor as Dick went to do the same for Wally, whose green eyes looked like they would bulge out of his head. "Help me get the others free. Those Talons are down for now but they'll recover...and believe me they won't be happy." He said as he ripped off Wally's collar and freed his friend.

Both redheads looked at him like they had just seen a miracle take place before their eyes. Babs had been right! Dick had played the Court like a cheap fiddle. He was okay!

He looked to both of his stunned friends and gave them a look of urgency. "Come on move it!"

Dick's words knocked some sense into them. Both got up and rushed to the others aid.

They were getting out of here.

* * *

**Bruce**

Bruce felt himself surge with pride as Dick worked to free his friends. Barbara had been right. He was still Dick. He was still his son.

"No! No! NO!" The Judge yelled as he watched the footage unfold before his eyes. He raised his communicator to his mask. "Gray Son! Recapture the prisoners! That is an ORDER!"

Dick's response was to throw a knife at the camera, cutting the feed.

"He's not your Gray Son!" Batman yelled, suddenly in front of the Judge. The Talon's didn't move. They seemed just as shocked by their supposed leader's betrayal as the Judge did. Even if they had sprung to action, it wouldn't have mattered. Bruce was too fast. They remained completely still, even as Batman punched their leader hard enough to shatter his mask.

"He's _my_ son! He's Nightwing!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think and I'll give you the next chapter soon.
> 
> (1) This is before Barbara becomes Oracle.
> 
> (2) Wally West is alive in my heart and hopefully alive in canon so why not have him alive in my story?
> 
> (3) I prefer the story of Dick graduating to Nightwing because he wanted to become his own hero rather than him getting fired as Robin.
> 
> (4) I changed the rhyme somewhat so that it has enough syllables to actually sound like a nursery rhyme.
> 
> (5) Refers to the Season 1 episode "Usual Suspects", where Conner comes clean about his Lex Luthor being his genetic father, Artemis about her family, and M'gann about being a white martian.
> 
> (6) Finally, we have at least one hero who GOES FOR THE HEAD!
> 
> To Be Continued...


	2. Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightwing has survived the conditioning by the Court of Owls with his memory and sanity intact...but at what cost?
> 
> Dick becomes withdrawn, and the Team quickly becomes aware that he's hiding something. But what?

**Bruce**

Bruce felt the mask crack beneath his fist as he punched the Judge. The Judge in turn went flying into the wall before collapsing to the ground, the broken shards of his mask falling around him. But when the Judge looked up, Batman couldn't hide the surprise that crossed his features.

It was a woman. (1)

The Judge was female, having curly blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She must have been using some kind of modulator inside the mask to disguise her voice. She had a small mole just beneath her left eye, and beneath that mole was a bruise just beginning to form from the punch he had landed. She also wore cheery red lipstick and blue eye shadow, but Bruce barely paid mind to that.

He knew her.

He didn't know her name, but he did know _her._

She had come to galas he hosted. He had seen her at charity events. For God's sake, she had been in his _house._ She had _shaken hands_ with him.

Batman was so stunned that he did nothing as she got back up, a look of rage on her face. "Kill him! Kill him NOW!" She shouted, pointing at him for clarity.

The Talons once again sprung to life and were upon him. That snapped him out of his stasis. He fought them off one by one, blow by blow. He had to use some of his exploding batarangs to destroy their heads but eventually it came to an end.

But when he turned back to the spot the Judge had been previously, she was gone.

* * *

**Wally**

Dick was running ahead of them, making twists and turns all throughout the accursed maze like he had the entire layout committed to memory. In hindsight, he probably did.

Even Wally was having trouble keeping up. Despite his metabolism, the drugs the Court dosed him with were still working their way out of his system. Everyone else was still a bit shaky on their feet. Kaldur, however, had it the worst of any of them. He took a much bigger hit due to the water from the fountain. He still hadn't woken up, and was being carried over the shoulder by Conner.

Eventually, Wally managed to gain some speed, enough so that he was neck and neck with Dick. "Dude, you have lost your mind if you think you're getting out of this without an explanation."

Wally hadn't meant to sound so hostile, but he was still trying to wrap his head around this. Had Dick planned this all along? Had he let the Court take him? Let himself be turned into a Talon? What would possess him to do something so foolish? Especially so close to what happened during the invasion.

Dick turned to him, rage igniting in his golden gaze. It took an effort on Wally's part not to flinch. "As soon as we get out of here, Wally! As soon as we get out, and not a moment before!" He screamed before turning back to the halls ahead and running past Wally.

Wally gawked from his running position. What was _that_? He had never seen Dick react like that before. He had always been, for the most part, extremely calm (or rather traught, Wally thought to himself) even under the most stressful of circumstances. It came with Batman's training. Control your emotions. Never let your emotions control you. All that. Yet Dick's look made a small part of him fear for his life.

Wally was pulled from his musings when Dick suddenly stopped in his tracks. Wally tried to stop as well, though he was much less graceful in it. He lost balance and very nearly hit the floor when Dick reached out and grabbed him by the back of his uniform and pulled him into a standing position.

"Thanks man." Wally said as he turned to his best friend. Dick was looking straight ahead, yellow eyes unblinking. "Dick?" Behind him Wally could hear the rest of the Team stop where they were as well. The ginger turned to see the Team all looking ahead of the two of them with expressions of concern. Finally, Wally looked forward.

And there stood William Cobb, golden eyes blazing with unbridled fury, his claws ready to tear them to shreds. But all that anger was directed at one person.

"You betrayed us!" Cobb snarled savagely as he flexed his fingers, causing the claws to extend with an evil hiss.

Dick shook his head as he returned Cobb's glare in full. "You can't betray someone you were never loyal to!"

Wally couldn't help but smirk at that.

Before Cobb could attack, Dick turned to Wally and whispered quickly. "Go. I'll be right behind you."

"But-"

Wally's argument was left unsaid as the two Talons sped towards each other. Cobb tried to deliver a round house kick to Dick's temple, followed by a claw strike to the same area. Dick swiftly dodged both and grabbed his ancestor's outstretched arm from the failed attack. Before Cobb could react, Dick used his claws to strike beneath the armpit with an attack so strong, Cobb's arm was completely severed from the body. Dick then threw the discarded limb to the side and continued to strike Cobb in the chest and face with a series of quick jabs.

Pushing down his disgust, it occurred to Wally just how much Dick had been holding back during their own fight. Sure he had taken them all down in rather brutal ways, but this made it seem like nothing. Here was Cobb, a man with over a century's worth of fighting experience and electrum infusions, and in mere moments Dick had managed to...'disarm him' so to speak. Earlier Cobb had taken note of the fact that Dick had only bested Miss Martian and Superboy, but now it was obvious. If Dick had truly meant to, the entire Team would have fallen to him.

Dick grabbed Cobb's remaining arm as he spun around and was suddenly to the Talon's rear. He yanked the arm outwards and pressed his hand between the shoulder blades and pushed Cobb against the wall, giving his a face full of concrete.

Dick turned to them with that same look of urgency once more. "Go!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Robin pulled up his holomap and they all ran for the highlighted passage, leaving Dick to tend to his great-grandfather.

After a good few minutes of running around, the Team found themselves at a grand staircase with a large pair of doors at the top, similar to those you would find for the front doors of a mansion. Everyone began to make for the top. Except one. One maintained his ground.

Halfway up the stairs, Artemis turned around and saw her boyfriend staring at the hall they just came from. "Wally come on!"

Wally didn't respond right away. Something was off. They had spent a fair amount of time shuffling through those halls. If what Wally had seen of Dick's skills were anything to go off of, the fight should have been finished already. And based on the Romani's new found speed, he should have caught up with them by now.

Something wasn't right.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to find Dick." Wally sped off before she could object. He remembered the turns they had made fairly well. Well enough to only hit two dead ends, that is. But eventually he heard the sound of shouting and went from there. And what he found completely horrified him.

He had been correct in assuming that Dick had won the fight. Cobb was laying flat on his chest on the ground, weakened but conscious. Dick was on top of him, straddling Cobb's lower body between his legs. Dick's clawed hand was holding up Cobb's head, clearly adding to the discomfort as his spine was forced to bend back too far. Dick then delivered a powerful blow to the back of Cobb's neck, causing a sharp _crack_ to echo through the maze. Cobb's head fell to the ground, his neck bent at an unnatural angle.

His neck was broken, Wally could tell. That was good. A broken neck could incapacitate Talons. That should have been the end of it. But it wasn't. Dick's claws reached down and curled around the underside of the now unconscious Cobb's jaw and yanked his head up before smashing it back to the ground.

Wally stood there completely still. What was happening? He was defeated. Dick never went further than that. But here he was, pounding Cobb's face into the ground. That's when Wally caught the look in Dick's eyes. There was this...wrath there. It wasn't mere anger or resentment or even hatred. Wally had seen this look thousands of times while fighting the villains of the world. And it was something that he had only ever thought criminals were capable of. Until now, that is.

It was _blood-lust._

Dick the placed a knee on the center of Cobb's back, his hands still gripping his head. With a snarl, Dick yanked Cobb's head upwards. Wally expected him to slam it back down again, but that's not what this was. Dick just kept pulling. Eventually Wally could see the skin from the front of Cobb's throat begin to tear from the shear force Dick was using.

_"The only successful way to kill one seems to be decapitation."_

Batman's words rang in Wally's head as he realized what Dick was doing. Realization hit him like a sack full of bricks.

No. No this wasn't right. Sure Artemis had beheaded some of those Talons who came after them. Wally was sure some of the JLA members were doing that to Talons at that very moment. But this was different. Cobb was defenseless. He posed no threat to anyone like this. This wasn't self-defense. It was _murder_.

Without thinking Wally sped towards Dick and pulled him off Cobb. He threw himself on top of Dick and pinned both his wrists while laying on top of his lower body. Dick growled and tried to get free, his advanced strength proving a challenge for Wally to keep in check.

"Dick stop it! It's over! He's down!" Wally yelled as he watched his friend thrash violently beneath him. "You don't need to go that far! What would Bruce think?!"

Immediately Dick stopped struggling and just laid there, eyes slowly drifting up to meet Wally's. He looked at the redhead as if he only just realized who it was that was holding him down. Wally had no idea what caused this sudden state of calm. Maybe the fact that he had used Bruce's name?

Now that he seemed fine, Wally slowly got up from his awkward position atop Dick and offered him a hand, but Dick didn't take it. He slowly got up on his own and starred down at Cobb, whose wound to the throat was already healing. From what Wally understood, the broken neck would take several hours to heal. But he couldn't care less about the state of William Cobb. What concerned him was Dick's expression.

He was looking at Cobb's wound in pure shock, like he hadn't realized what he had been doing until then. Wally could pinpoint the exact moment he did realize it though. Because that was the moment his expression turned from one of shock to shame. Dick looked down at his clawed gloves, blood still soaking them.

They stayed in that way for a full minute before Wally placed his hand on Dick's shoulder. He tried to ignore the violent flinch that ran through Dick's body at the sudden contact, or the way his eyes widened in panic as he turned to face the redhead. Wally put his other hand up defensively. "Hey now. It's just me."

He waited until Dick seemed to calm down to place his additional hand on the opposite shoulder. "Come on now. It's over. We're going home." He then gave a small push to nudge Dick forward. Soon enough, they were walking out of the Labyrinth at a slow and steady pace, Cobb's lifeless form laid forgotten on the ground behind them.

Wally didn't realize until that moment just how much he had actually been hoping that this was all some grand manipulation on Dick's part to get to the Court. That way it was as simple as them getting into a screaming match, one long lecture about keeping secrets from the Team, and everything was back to normal. But one look at Dick's current state made it very clear that wasn't the case.

Wally didn't know exactly what the Owls had done to his best friend. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. What he did know is that whatever they did, they managed to accomplish that which no other villain in Gotham, not even the Joker, had been able to do before. What no other villain in the whole _world_ had been able to do.

They broke him.

* * *

**Tim**

It had taken a while, but they finally managed to clear the area of Talons. That was in no small part due to Black Canary. Luckily all the Talons had their senses cranked up to an 11. They couldn't stand her screaming, and she didn't have to worry about killing them for obvious reasons. Many were unconscious, scattered throughout the street. The other Leaguers had similar success around Gotham, and the Talons were being transported to a nearby Cryogenics lab until a more permanent solution could be found.

Tim couldn't believe it. It was really over. Before he had been dreading this mission. In his mind it would take months, perhaps even a year to fully bring down the Court and get Dick back. But here they were. The Talons were defeated, Dick was alright, and several Owls were in custody. And as it turned out, the Court had some type of partnership with the Light. This bust could very well end up being key in bringing down Vandal Savage and his cohorts for good. And Kaldur had also woken up, the affects of the drugged fountain water finally having worn off.

All that was left was for Wally and Dick to walk through those doors.

Right now they were in the Bioship, waiting for their comrades to come in. Sometimes Tim really hated Wally's pension for being late. For one of the fastest people alive he sure did like to take his time.

Eventually though the hiss of the Bioship's main door opening let Tim smile. He immediately turned in his seat to see his comrade and brother.

And the smile instantly vanished from his face.

Wally was gripping Dick's shoulders and helping to lead him into the ship. Dick kept his gaze down to his feet as they walked in, he had his arms wrapped around himself, and he had a frown set in his features. Wally guided him to one of the free seats and set him down. Dick turned in his seat so that he was facing the window and looking away from the Team. He seemed to just curl in on himself in an attempt to make himself seem small. It struck Tim just how good he seemed to be at doing that.

Wally sighed as he took his own seat behind Dick and turned to face M'gann, who was already staring at him. In fact, the entire Team had their eyes glued on either of the newcomers. For Wally, they looked to him for answers. But Dick, it was like staring at a terrible car accident. Yes it was heartbreaking to look at but you couldn't help it.

"Let's head out." Wally said in a sad voice. "Cobb is back in the maze. He's incapacitated. Tell the police to pick him up."

The flinch that ran through Dick's body at the mention of his great-grandfather did not go unnoticed.

M'gann nodded, eyes never leaving Dick as she took to the controls and the Bioship began to fly out.

Tim turned away in his seat, no longer able to bring himself to look at his broken brother. Just like that his hopes were shattered, and his fears confirmed.

Dick was anything but alright.

* * *

**Barbara**

Barbara could see it too. Anyone with eyes could see it. The normally stone faced Nightwing wasn't even trying to hide his vulnerability in that moment. He just looked so... _defeated._

Barbara had been the one to come up with the theory that he had been a mole within the Court. And she had been right. When that was proven by Dick freeing them she had been ecstatic. That meant they could take down the Court, get Dick home, and everything would be okay.

God. Had she truly been that naive? Had she truly believed that even someone as strong as Richard Grayson was strong _enough_ to come out of that unscathed?

Now the truth was laid bare in front of her. One look was all it took. One look and you could see that this boy was not just broken, but _shattered._

Barbara could only hope that he wasn't beyond repair.

"So...I guess I owe you all an explanation." Dick said. His voice still had that rough edge to it. Barbara hoped she had been wrong, and that it wasn't the result of relentless screaming. But something in her gut said otherwise.

"No you don't. You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to." Wally responded, despite being the first to say that they needed answers. He must have seen just how vulnerable Dick was at the moment too. Then again, who couldn't?

Dick shook his head. "I _do_ want to though." Dick said as he finally turned to face them, though he kept his eyes down. Eventually he managed to will his eyes to met Barbara's. She still flinched a bit at the yellow of his eyes. "First things first. I owe all of you an apology. Especially you Babs. I...I don't know how you could ever forgive me." He said, turning away again. "I hurt you all. And what I did to your dad-"

"No." Babs said firmly. She couldn't watch Dick do this to himself. It hurt too much. "You _saved_ my dad Dick. I know what you did for him. I know you hit him in a non-fatal area, even though you must have known the Court would punish you. And it worked. He's fine Dick. If it had been another Talon that was sent after him I would have been visiting a morgue instead of a hospital. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing at all."

She could tell by his expression that he didn't believe her.

"It's not just that." Dick continued. "What happened during the invasion-"

This time it was Conner who interrupted. "What you did saved the world. There's nothing to forgive Dick."

 _'We're just sorry it took us five months to realize it.'_ Barbara added silently.

Dick still looked unconvinced. Regardless, he moved on. "Okay then. I guess I should talk about the Court." He said, tugging awkwardly at the collar of his unitard. "I'm not sure where to start..."

"The beginning might be a good place." Wally said with a smile. Babs smirked. Leave it to Wally West to try and lighten the mood even under circumstances like this.

Dick grinned a bit at his friends attempt at humor, but his lips fell again once he started. "First off, this wasn't exactly _planned._ I actually did get injured by Harely, and then I passed out in my apartment from the injuries." That caused a pang of guilt to rush through Barbara. Like Wally, she had briefly considered that the whole thing was a set up from the start. Now she felt like complete shit for even thinking it. "I woke up when I heard a window break. I fought off the Talons that broke in for as long as I could, but eventually they knocked me out. The next thing I remember was waking up in the Labyrinth, in front of that fountain. My injuries had been tended to, and they left me in there with all of my weapons. A voice over the speakers told me that things had to start with a test of strength. That's when the Talons went in. I fought them off. All of them. I'm not sure of the exact number. But after that they just left me in there. Sooner or later I got dehydrated and had no choice but to drink from the fountain, which as you well know, was drugged. The next time I woke up..." Dick trailed off.

Barbara gave him a concerned look. "What happened when you woke up?"

Dick looked her in the eye again. "I'm guessing you already know about the... _conditioning_ process for Talons." Dick spat the word out like it hurt to say.

Barbara hesitantly nodded. "We don't know the specifics though."

Dick looked away. "Well you're not going to. I'm not talking about that."

Artemis was the one who spoke up next. "Dick, I can't imagine what it was like in there. But whether it's to us or Bruce or Dinah, sooner or later you're going to have to-"

"I said I'm not talking about it!" Dick snapped.

Babs had to stifle a shriek, and was sure Artemis had to do the same.

It took Dick a moment but he seemed to suddenly realize his outburst and looked completely shocked. "I...I'm sorry." He said weakly. He turned in his seat again, facing the window so that his back was to the Team. "Just... _please_ don't make me talk about it."

Babs heart broke right then and there. She knew he would have to open up about it sooner or later, but those wounds were too fresh. They would revisit it another time. He just sounded so desperate not to bring it up. They couldn't just force him. "Okay. You don't have to talk about that."

Dick seemed to relax somewhat at her words. Enough so that he turned to face forward, so his side was to the group rather than his back. Then he continued.

"Without going into too much detail...I _can_ tell you that they hurt me. They sicked their Talons on me. They experimented on me. They turned me into..." Dick didn't finish that statement. He only absently touched the area around his now yellow eyes.

Barbara's heart sank. That was another thing that they had to face now. Dick was no longer human. And in all their research; she, Tim, and Batman had never found anything about curing Talons, or riding the bloodstream of electrum. This was permanent. Even if they did help Dick heal and overcome everything else that happened to him, he would be a Talon for the rest of his life.

Dick took a deep breath before continuing. "I can't really tell you why I didn't get brainwashed or broken by all that they did. I just didn't. I maintained my free will. But I did manage to convince them otherwise. Once that was done I just had to look for an opening to escape. Lucky for me, they wanted me to be the one to kill Gordon. A test of loyalty I guess. I was going to bolt the minute I got there, but then I saw Conner and Tim there. Then I thought instead of just escaping the Court, maybe I could bring it down. But if I revealed myself right then and there, the Court would know. They _always_ know. They would have evacuated the facility and destroyed any evidence they were there. They would have a new base set up by the end of the month, and we would never get another chance to get at them. So instead I did what I did because I knew it would lead you to them. I'm not proud of it." Dick shifted a bit in his seat for a moment before continuing. "Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Yes. Thank you Dick. We know that couldn't have been easy to share." Kaldur answered.

Dick nodded and looked out the window again. That's when he noticed something. They were far further above the city than they should have been. He could make out the horizon from here, which was nearly impossible considering all the skyscrapers in Gotham. "Where are we going?"

"To the Watchtower." Wally answered. "The League is going to want a mission debrief."

Dick's eyes widened for a moment before he let out a sigh and closed them. "I see. Will...will Bruce be there?"

Babs gave him a strange look. Dick almost never called Bruce by his civilian name when they were discussing League business. That and he sounded worried. Shouldn't he be glad that he would be seeing Bruce? "Yeah, he will be."

Dick nodded and looked over to Tim. "Can...can I maybe borrow one of your masks?"

Tim looked at him in surprise. Well _that_ was an odd request. "What?"

"I'm not ready for Bruce to see..." Dick trailed off, again touching the area around his eyes.

None of them had the heart to tell Dick that Bruce already knew about him being a Talon. They just allowed Robin to pull his spare mask from his utility belt and hand it to his older brother, who looked at it hesitantly for a moment before putting it on. Once again, he looked like Nightwing. He looked like a hero.

Not another word was spoken for the rest of the ride.

* * *

**Bruce**

Bruce wasn't listening as the other Leaguers droned on about the Talons and the ensuing battles that took place. At that moment he only cared about seeing Dick.

When Barbara had sent him a message telling him that Dick was not under the control of the Court and had even helped them escape, he had to read it over again to make sure he wasn't losing his mind. Once he was positive that it wasn't some type of hallucination, Bruce sent her a message back telling her to come to the Watchtower as soon as possible. She had responded with a brief 'okay'.

That was how he found himself in this position. Listening to his colleagues give reports on things he already knew while he could do nothing but let his mind swarm on thoughts about his son. Was Dick injured? What was his mental state? Was he indeed a Talon?

Those thoughts were shut out when a mechanical voice made the announcement that a ship had just docked in the Watchtowers hanger. That was all he needed to hear.

He took off for the hanger immediately, not bothering to listen to the protests of Diana as he did so. Soon enough he was down in the bay as the Team began to exit the ship, each one carrying a rather macabre expression. After Dick emerged from the ship, he stopped wondering why.

His son's face was hidden by a mask, but all of the questions that Batman had were answered right then. The way his skin was paler than should be possible. How Dick had his arms wrapped around himself like he was just barely keeping himself from falling apart. The way his expression contorted into a mixture of emotions once he saw Bruce.

He knew in that moment that Dick was not alright.

He silently walked over and came over behind Dick, placing his hands on the boys shoulders.

"Come on. Let's get you home." Everyone was shocked by how gentle and caring Batman's tone was in that moment. He didn't really care. And he was more than willing to hear arguments from the League about why he shouldn't have left the meeting to take care of his son, though he doubted anyone had the balls to do that.

"Bu-but your debriefing..." Dick said weakly. Bruce sighed internally. That was so typical of Dick. Willing to do anything for others, but never lifting a finger to help himself.

"There's time for that later." He said as he pulled Dick towards the nearest Zeta Tube. He stopped just in front of it and turned towards Tim.

"The moment the meeting is over I want you back at the cave. No detours, no delays." His protege nodded readily before Bruce turned back to his oldest and helped him through the Tube, the voice announcing their departure.

Almost immediately after the materialized in the Batcave, Dick rounded on him and crashed into his chest. Dick gripped him like he might sink into the floor and soon enough began to sob into his chest.

Bruce sighed as he wrapped his arms around Dick. The boy must have been bottling it all in, not wanting his Team to see him in such a state. Sometimes he regretted his role in Dick's habit of not opening up about his feelings.

Bruce raised a single hand and pulled back his cowl. Dick didn't need Batman right now. He needed his father.

As Dick's legs began to give out from under him, Bruce lowered himself so with his son until they were kneeling on the ground together. Bruce gently raised a hand and stroked his son's hair. It had grown somewhat longer during his time with the Court (2). He swept the dark locks out of his sons' face and quietly shushed him. "It's okay Dickie. Let it out."

Bruce wasn't sure how long it went on like this. He only continued to stroke Dick's hair and let his suit soak up his son's tears. Sooner or later though, Dick spoke.

"T-th-they _h-hur-hur-hurt_ m-me." Dick gasped out between sobs. Bruce knew that 'hurt' could only begin to describe what he had been through. How could this have happened. Was this his own fault? When Dick had told him he needed some space after his falling out with the Team he had understood, but did he bring this on Dick by leaving his son be. Whatever the case, Bruce was pulled by his musing by Dick's next words. "Th-th-they m-m-made me a _m-m-monster._ "

Bruce pulled his son off of his chest by his shoulders and took a hold of his chin, forcing his son to look into his eyes. "Don't ever say that Dick. You're _not_ a monster."

With a shaking hand, Dick reached up and pulled off the mask provided to him by Tim. Bruce was ashamed of himself for letting his expression change to one of shock as he gazed into the yellow orbs.

"Yes I am."

* * *

**Tim**

(Two weeks later)

Dick was anything but alright. It had been clear when they had rescued him, and it was clear now.

They had already made a public announcement of Dick's return. Officially, Dick had been kidnapped for ransom and the kidnappers had threatened to kill him if Bruce called the police. The negotiations went on for five months before Dick was finally returned to him. He had to falsify some medical records, since he couldn't take Dick to an actual hospital for obvious reasons. Dick had to wear blue colored contacts for the press release about his return. He had covered the black veins by wearing a collared shirt, and his pale complexion was easily explained by the fact that he hadn't been let outside in over five months.

After a few days worth of harassment, the press realized they weren't going to get anymore out of the Wayne family, and stopped stalking them. Many of Dick's colleges from the Bludhaven police department came over to check on him. They all swore to catch the animals that took him, and one of them (Dick's partner Amy, Tim remembered) gave him the number for a department psychologist and recommended to the moon and back that he get help before wishing that he get better soon and leaving.

Still, Dick was no closer to being alright.

Some of it was small things. Things that wouldn't occur to most people.

The way that Dick took to his new appearance, for one. One day Tim went to Dick's room to see how he was doing, only to find his older brother in the adjoining bathroom staring at himself in the mirror, his eyes casting a sad gaze as they took in their own golden luster, and the ghostly pale flesh surrounding them. Not wanting to let his brother torture himself anymore, Tim pulled him out of the room and forced him down to the living room, somehow managing to convince him to watch some movies with him. Tim had been hopeful every time he saw Dick giggle at some stupid joke from the film or smile at happier moments. That hope was effectively crushed when he went to Dick's room the next day only to find the boy curled up on his bed, his mirror laying in pieces on the bathroom floor.

Another was Dick's avoidance of small spaces. He always left his door open all night long. Some mornings Tim found Dick asleep on the couch of the living room, probably feeling cramped in his own bedroom. One night Bruce had attempted to take Dick to dinner in an attempt to get some normalcy back into his life. He had a panic attack in the limbo and they had to stop to let him out several times over the course of the ride. By the time they made it to Dick's favorite restaurant, he was too disheveled to even speak. Tim smiled sadly, remembering that the next day when he had worried over Dick, his brother promised him that he was perfectly 'heveled'.

Then there were more obvious things. Such as Dick's new aversion to the cold. It was the middle of winter, so this one was not so easily hidden. Most days it was as simple as asking Alfred to make them some cocoa. On colder days it involved wrapping Dick in nearly every blanket in the house. Then there was that dreadful day that the heat went out. Alfred had called someone and assured them that some people would be over and the heater would be up and running before the end of the day. Tim was fairly content staying in heavy clothing until that time. Then he realized that he hadn't seen Dick all day. He went into Dick's room only to find him curled up in the corner, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Tim could clearly see that it was not only do to the cold, but also fear that was causing him to tremble. Approaching Dick slowly, Tim attempted to comfort his brother. Dick shot out and wrapped his arms around Tim before crying. Tim did his best to comfort him but it seemed to help very little. They stayed like that well into the night until the heat came back on.

The very worst were the night terrors though. Most nights Tim and Bruce would be awoken by bloodcurdling screams in the dead of night. They went into Dick's room to find him curled in on himself and screaming like he was being murdered. Bruce always pulled him close and spent the next hour or two trying to calm him down. More terrifying though were the things that Dick would scream during these episode.

"I didn't want to!"

"Let go of me!"

"LET ME OUT!"

One time Tim decided to sleep in the same room as Dick. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Tim always woke up during these episodes anyway. At least this way he would be there to comfort Dick when it happened.

Oh how wrong he had been.

Tim woke up that night not to the sound of screaming, but to the feeling of hands wrapped around his throat. Dick was looking at him with an expression of pure hatred. He was having one of his episodes.

Tim didn't even try to make sense of the situation. He only wanted to get Dick off of him. He tried to hit him or pull his arms away from his neck, but Dick was too strong. Desperately, Tim hit his fist against wall, praying someone would hear him. His prayers were answered when the door burst open and Bruce emerged, tackling Dick to the ground and holding him there until he came to. Once he did, Dick just fell apart upon realizing he had attacked Tim. He muttered apologies through his tears for the next several hours. It took days for Dick to trust himself enough to be in the same room as Tim again.

Tim tried his best to get Dick back to his old self. He encouraged him to swing on the trapeze in an area of the Batcave that had been affectionately coined the Robin's Nest, did his best to get him out of the mansion, and tried his very hardest to get Dick to eat something.

But it was like Dick was a ghost. He had no interest in doing anything, opting to lock himself in his room twenty-four seven. Despite his newfound claustrophobia, he insisted that the door remain closed so he wouldn't be able to hurt any of them during a night terror. Whenever Tim had tried to bribe him into coming out with offers of food, Dick turned away and said that Talons didn't need food to survive, only clean water.

But Tim refused to give up. He did somehow manage to get Dick to agree to spend at least one hour out of his room each day. Those were generally spent with Tim and Bruce and the three of them tried to do something normal, like watch a movie or play a game. Like a normal family. Of course, their family was anything but normal.

He had also swayed Dick to call members of the Team once every few days. That had been more out of concern for them than Dick though. Every moment he spent with the Team had turned into utter torture, as he would much rather see if Dick's situation had changed at all. Worse still was the fact that the Team spent every waking moment asking him what Dick's condition was. What was he supposed to say? That his brother was essentially a shadow of his former self?

Eventually he managed to convince Dick to allow a visitor. Wally and Artemis weren't able to come because her mother had some health problems. Tim knew for a fact that Dick didn't want to see any members of the Team out of shame for what he did with the Court and during the Invasion. That left one person.

Roy had been absolutely furious with Tim and Bruce though. Tim couldn't blame him. He was ashamed to admit that they had forgotten about him, and that Roy had to find out about Dick being back because it was front page news. That said, Roy knew better than to think that Dick had been kidnapped for ransom, which left Tim to tell him the uncensored truth. He had especially taken care to tell him the changes to Dick's appearance. Dick denied that it affected him, but Tim could see the small hurt in his eyes whenever one of them stared too long at his golden irises.

Dick seemed to perk up at seeing Roy. In fact, it was the happiest Tim had seen Dick in days. He decided to leave the two long time friends alone for the time being. He had missed enough school as it stood, after all. But when he returned home, they were no longer in the living room nor were they in Dick's bedroom. Tim was about to panic when he heard noise coming from the cave.

He went down and what he found reignited hope in him. He wasn't sure how Roy made it happen, Tim was just glad that he did. Dick was up in the Nest, flying from post to post in the graceful way that only a Flying Grayson was capable of. On the ground below were Bruce and Roy. While Roy was openly applauding, Bruce had a proud smile on his face as he watched Dick soar. Tim also saw a look of pure elation on Dick's face as well. For a moment, everything was normal. It was like the Court of Owls never existed.

Dick was not alright.

But he would be. If Tim had to spend the rest of his life ensuring it, Dick would get through this.

* * *

**Alfred**

Alfred had helped Batman recover from multiple injuries. Both him and all three Robins. He had stitched wounds without an anesthetic, put casts on broken bones, and pulled bullets from gunshot wounds on more than one occasion.

But this was different. The wounds weren't physical. And Alfred found himself feeling completely useless.

Dick was completely withdrawn the world. A shell of his former self.

Alfred brought him food and Dick responded that he didn't need to eat anymore. Alfred offered to clean his room, Dick opened the door to reveal it as spotless. Alfred asked permission to trim Dick's untamed hair, Dick flat out refused.

But none of that was important. What was important was when Alfred had urged the young man to seek out on of the psychologists his partner had recommended. Dick rounded on him and snarled like a wild animal, yelling at him to mind his own business before ascending the stairs to his room.

Right now Alfred was absentmindedly sweeping up the kitchen and washing the dishes from that nights meal. Once again Dick had been absent. Alfred halted though when he heard someone come down the stairs. Alfred put away the dish he was washing and walked out into the living room.

Dick was sitting on the couch, staring blankly into the fireplace.

"Master Dick." Alfred called out to announce his presence.

Dick whipped around but relaxed when he saw who it was. "Oh. Hello Alfred." Dick said as he returned to his seated position on the couch. Alfred sighed internally. Ever sense his return to the manor, violent mood swings seemed to be an all too common occurrence. And after these mood swings Dick would apologize for his behavior and become withdrawn again. This was the first time he had spoken to Alfred since his most recent outburst over seeing a therapist.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, Master Dick? Even Masters Bruce and Tim have retired to their rooms." This was no surprise though. Batman and Robin had taken a temporary vacation to help Dick cope, even though nothing seemed to be working. That said, it was odd to have them home all the time rather than out all hours of the night and taking out criminals.

"I'm a Talon." Dick reminded him, eyes not leaving the fire flickering before him. "I don't need to sleep as much as humans."

Alfred's heart sank whenever Dick used the word 'humans' as though he no longer fit into the category. He also seemed to use it as an excuse to not take care of himself. He stopped eating, leaving the manor, and now sleeping, and said 'I'm a Talon' each and every time.

"I see." Alfred said as he returned to the kitchen and quickly brewed a mug of coffee, before returning to the room and setting it down on the table in front of Dick. "And is that the only reason for your lack of sleep?"

Dick shrugged as he accepted the mug before him. The butler stood there in silence for several minutes until Dick caved. "I _can't_ sleep Alfred. Every time I do I'm back there. With _them._ "

Alfred nodded as he picked up the now empty mug. He went back to the kitchen and returned with the refilled mug as quickly as he could. If there was one thing Alfred knew about this family, it was that they turned into serious flight risks whenever they were confronted with their own emotions.

"I understand why that would make you hesitant to go to sleep Master Dick." Alfred said as he handed Dick the mug. Dick took it with a grateful smile. "What I don't understand is why you still refuse to talk to anyone about this."

Dick groaned as he set down the mug. "What do you suggest Alfred. That I go to a shrink and tell them that I'm Nightwing, I was kidnapped by an underground society of rich people, and now I'm an undead freak? They would toss me in Arkham and throw away the key."

"First of all, Master Dick, I would never allow anyone to refer to you as a freak. What exactly lead you to believe that you were allowed to?" Alfred asked, his tone never changing.

"Love you too." Dick said under his breath as he took another sip of black coffee.

"Second of all, I agree that you shouldn't see a traditional psychologist for this matter. I would prefer that you speak to Miss Lance." Alfred explained.

Dick shook his head. "I can't do that either. If I did talk to Dinah, she would tell Bruce anything she thinks he needs to know."

" _Is_ there something that Master Bruce should know?" Alfred countered, not missing a beat.

Dick rolled his eyes. A gesture that caused him to shudder as he felt Alfred's phantom glare on him. "I've told him everything he needs to know."

"With all due respect, Master Dick, you've told him nothing." Dick turned to counter him, but Alfred continued before he got the chance. "Furthermore, you live under the same roof as the two greatest detectives in the world. Both of whom care a great deal about you. One way or another, they will find out what methods the Court of Owls has for training their Talons. It is only a matter of whether or not they learn this from you."

Dick stood there with his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water until he pouted and turned back to the fire. He knew Alfred was right. He wished to God he could keep what happened there buried though. It was hard enough to move on without revisiting the sins of the past.

"If nothing else, I would advise you to speak to members of your Team. They call the manor a great deal, and I refuse to tell them that you're resting the next time they call." Alfred warned.

Dick sighed. "Fine. There's something I needed to discuss with them anyway."

"Splendid. Now then, if you still refuse to turn in, I would like to request that you assist me in tiding up." Alfred suggested.

Dick smiled slightly and got up to do just that. Even though neither of them said anything for the rest of the night, Alfred could tell that Dick was happy with how normal things were in that moment.

Still, perhaps he should have told Alfred that what he had to tell the Team wasn't good news.

* * *

**Kaldur**

The the Team was in the main room of the Watchtower, where all the Zeta Tubes connected. They were doing their best to make themselves comfortable, but Kaldur could tell that they missed the cave terribly. But there was no time to mourn. There was work to be done.

As it stood, Barbara was at computer terminal, typing away on holographic keyboards. Tim, Mal, Virgil, Karen, and La'gaan were on missions. Gar, Jaime, Cassie, and Bart were taking turns sparing with each other until Kaldur could find appropriate assignments for them as well. M'gann, Conner, and Zatanna were there as well, more supervising than anything else. And even with all that was going on, this was a relatively slow day in comparison to what they had recently.

That wasn't to say that Kaldur was complaining by any means. If anything, he was grateful for the distraction from Dick's situation. They had attempted contact numerous times over the last two weeks, but they had only managed to reach Bruce Wayne's servant (Alfred, Kaldur remembered) who told them that 'Master Dick' was resting. Kadlur knew that was bat-language for 'I'm not ready to talk about it'. Eventually the Team as a whole had accepted that, and would wait for Dick to come to them.

_Recognized: Nightwing B 01_

Kaldur looked at the Zeta Tubed in shock. ' _Speak of the devil, and the devil will appear.'_ He supposed.

Though he did get concerned when Gar leapt up from his seated position and flipped towards the activated Zeta Tube just as a figure materialized in it. Everyone had been informed about Nightwing's identity when he initially went missing, so that they knew they could be looking for either Nightwing or Dick Grayson. They had also taken care to tell everyone about Nightwing's change in appearance so that they could prepare themselves for when they next saw him. But Kaldur knew from personal experience that hearing about a change like that and actually seeing it were two different matters entirely.

Gar ran up and hugged Nightwing just as he materialized. Kaldur could tell Dick had to suppress the reflexes that had no doubt told him to attack Garfield.

"I'm so glad you're...back." Gar paused in his statement as soon as he made physical contact with Dick. Even for his age Gar was fairly smart. And it didn't take a genius to know that someone shouldn't be _this_ cold. And so Gar looked up at Dick. He hadn't meant to recoil. He truly hadn't. But as soon as he saw those wicked yellow orbs, he stumbled back in shock.

Dick looked down at his feet, sadness clear on his features. At that moment Beast Boy felt like the worst person in world.

"I...I need to talk to Kaldur. In _private._ " Dick said, stressing the last word as he took a look around the room.

Kaldur nodded to him. Dick hadn't spoken to anyone from the Team since the night they stormed the Court. But based on what Tim had told them, it was best to avoid pushing Dick unless it was absolutely necessary. He turned to the rest of the Team, only to find them already on their way.

"Don't worry." Cassie said as she waved a hand, a small smile on her face as she turned to Dick. "We get it. We'll make ourselves scarce."

Dick nodded to her, grateful for the understanding. Soon the room was cleared, but only of the younger members. Babs, Conner, and M'gann were all still there along with Kaldur.

"I said in private." Dick said softly, still refusing to make eye contact with any of them.

"Dick." M'gann said from her spot next to Conner. "Please. Whatever you can say to Kaldur you can say to us."

After a moment, Dick nodded slowly. "Ok." Dick would have preferred not to make this a spectacle, but relented. She was right. They were still his friends. He could do this.

Though Dick did take notice of the fact that Tim wasn't there. In fact, many members of the Team were missing when he first came in. "Where's everyone else?"

They were surprised by the sudden change in topic, but Conner answered. "Most of them are on missions." The Boy of Steel answered before giving Dick a reassuring smile. "You've been keeping us pretty busy."

Dick looked at the clone with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"

Kaldur got to work and began typing on the keyboard. After a few clicks, several holographic screens popped up in front of them. It appeared to be a series of financial records, a few pictures of Lex Luthor handing people stacks of hundreds, some photos of people in owl masks (which sent a chill up Dick's spine), and a few newspaper headings, which Dick didn't bother to read.

"This was all thanks to you." Barbara said as she began to explain. "After the Court was taken down we raided every paper and digital record they had. It turns out we were right about the Court having a partnership with the Light. The Court provided them finances for their illegal activity and Talons for a few hits and in exchange the Light was helping the Court expand their reach to areas beyond Gotham. A lot of what we found implicates Luthor though. He provided them with Kryptonite and cryotanks like the ones used in Cadmus as part of their arrangement. And we have all the records to prove it. Doesn't matter how rich Luthor is, even he is going to do time with all this evidence."

That's when Kaldur took over. "As it stands, the Team are on assignments to take down the other bases the Court of Owls set up in locations around the world. With each one we bring down we find more evidence that will allow us to go after the Light's political members as well as find the identities of the Owls so they can be charged." By the end of the explanation, Kaldur was looking at Dick with a proud smile. "You've opened Pandora's Box Dick. This has been a great victory."

Dick looked between them and the records in shock. It appeared he had a hard time grasping that this all came from him. But it was true. If it weren't for Dick turning on the Owls, none of this would have been possible. They owed Dick a great debt.

That's when Dick forced himself to look at Kaldur directly. "What about...what about Cobb? And the other Talons?"

Kaldur didn't mean for his smile to fade, but he couldn't help it. He knew Dick was still struggling with what the Court did to him without bringing up William Cobb. Still though, Dick deserved the truth. "The adult Talons were all killed during the Leagues raid. The children did not attack, but they did not respond to being rescued either. Many of them are being treated by the best child-victim-experts in the world."

Dick looked at him in surprise. "For real? Where is the League getting funding for that?"

M'gann giggled a little into her hand. "Oh, you know. Anonymous source." That earned a small laugh from some of the others that were present.

Dick just looked at them, clearly not understanding the apparent inside joke until realization hit him. He couldn't help but smile too. Of course. Who else had enough money to fund all this. No wonder Bruce had been so busy the last few days.

"As for Cobb..." Kaldur began, pulling Dick from his thoughts. "...he was taken into custody for all the murders we were able to find, though there are surely more. My understanding is that Mr. Freeze's old cell in Arkham was modified to accommodate him. The cold keeps him...docile."

Dick took a moment to process the information before nodding. "That's good."

"So then..." Babs began awkwardly. "What did you want to see us about?"

Dick's face fell. He had almost forgotten what it was he needed to say. He had been too caught up in how nice it felt to be among his friends. He let out a long sigh. "It...It's about my leave of absence from the Team."

Kaldur's eyes widened momentarily before he gave Dick an understanding look. "Dick, I'm glad you want to come back. But I really do think it would be for the best if you gave yourself some more time before-"

"No!" Dick practically shouted, stopping Kaldur mid-sentence. "No, it's not like that."

Dick closed his eyes and sighed. When he did the image of blood and claws, which had long since become branded on his mind's eye, flashed in front of him, as though reminding him why he was there. He had been torturing himself over this decision for days. He knew it wouldn't be easy to say. He knew it would be even less easy for them to accept. But what they wanted didn't matter. What _he_ wanted didn't matter. This was for the best. It had to be done.

"It's not a leave of absence anymore." Dick finally said. "It's a resignation." His words elicited a confused look from Babs and a few others, so he went on. "I'm not coming back to the Team. Not now, not ever. I can't."

For a while, no one could bring themselves to say a word. Some were sure they had misheard him. Nightwing quitting? That couldn't be right. Even if Kaldur was in temporary command, this team had always been meant for Dick's leadership. Kaldur had been so proud to see his young friend grow into the role of leader over the last few years. He couldn't just leave.

"Dick, I can't accept your resignation." Kaldur said gently. "I understand that what the Court did to you was horrible, but if you would only give yourself time-"

"No Kaldur!" Dick interrupted bluntly. "This has nothing to do with what the Court did to me, what I did during the invasion, or even that I'm a Talon. It's just...the way it is. I don't have a place on this team anymore."

It was Barbara who spoke next. "That is not true. Dick, this team was built _because_ of you." She said, clearly exasperated. If what Dick was saying was true, and it had nothing to do with trauma or guilt, than what in the world had brought this on?

"It was built because of Wally too and it survived when he left. I don't see how I'm any different." Dick said, still looking away.

"Wally gave us a reason when he retired. At the very least, you could do the same. You owe us that much." Conner countered.

Dick shook his head and narrowed his eyes on the Team, specifically Kaldur. "All due respect, I really don't. I don't need your understanding and I don't need your approval. This was just a way of letting you know how things are. I'm not coming back to the Team and nothing you can say will change my mind. Please Kaldur, I'm asking that you respect my decision."

M'gann looked at Dick with sad eyes. "That's not reasonable Dick. You can't just expect-"

"Very well." Kaldur's brief remark cut M'gann off. They all looked at their leader in shock. He couldn't be for real! Was he seriously giving Dick his approval to leave the Team for good?!

"Kaldur, you can't be serious!" Barbara exclaimed. "With all that he's been through lately, he's not in the right state of mind to make that kind of choice."

" _He_ is still in the room Barbara." Kaldur reminded him, resulting in Dick shooting him a grateful glance. Kaldur then turned to face Dick, no longer avoiding his gaze. "Dick, I'm going to trust your judgement on this. I only ask that you remember that our door is always open, and that regardless of your status with this team, you will _always_ be our friend."

Dick let himself smile a bit at Kaldur's declaration. He walked towards the Atlantean and outstretched his hand, which Kaldur shook in response. "I will Kaldur. Thank you."

Kaldur then put a hand on Dick's shoulder. "Then as your friend, I request that you reconsider this. This team needs Nightwing."

Dick's smile vanished and his whole demeanor changed at the mention of his moniker. He turned quickly, breaking Kaldur's hold on his shoulder, and went straight for the Zeta Tubes.

"Nightwing is dead." He said in a broken voice. "I'm just his corpse."

A stunned silence passed over the group that stayed there well after Dick disappeared into the light of the Zeta Tubes.

* * *

**Wally**

(One week later)

Wally was absolutely _starving_ by the time he reached the front door of Wayne Manor. Sometimes he had to acknowledge the fact that his speed was both a blessing and a curse for this exact reason. Perhaps he should start following Artemis' advice and start driving places. But that wasn't very important now. Right now all that mattered was him seeing Dick.

He picked himself up and adjusted the backpack around his shoulders as he knocked on the door and waited for a moment before Alfred answered. "Ah, Master Wallace." Alfred said with a small bow of his head. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this unannounced visit."

Yeah, Wally saw that coming. He knew Alfred hated it when he didn't call ahead, but Wally didn't want to take the risk of calling only for Dick to turn him down. It would be much harder to do that once he was actually inside the manor.

"Sorry Alfred, but I _really_ need to see Dick. I promise I'll help you cook, clean, mow the lawn, dowhateveryouneedjustpleaseletmein!" Wally anxiety was starting to show as he began to speed-talk during the end. Luckily, Alfred was familiar with how to decipher his speech during times like this.

Alfred raised a brow before relenting. "Very well. Master Dick is up in his room. You will be helping me set the table this evening. I assume you will be staying for dinner?"

Wally couldn't help but nod eagerly at the prospect of food before entering the house racing up the stairs to Dick's room. "Thanks Alfred you're the best!"

"No running inside the manor Master Wallace!" The butler called back, but the words were lost on Wally now.

Once he was in front of Dick's room he knocked on it quickly. "Dick!" He shouted. After waiting a few seconds and not getting a response Wally tried again. "Dick I know you're in there! Please let me in! It's urgent!"

That got a response. Wally heard some shuffling from the other side of the door before a wide-eyed Dick opened it. "What's wrong?! Did something happen to Artemis?!"

Wally shook his head as he entered the bedroom. "No, nothing like that." He said as he set his bag down on Dick's bed. The he unzipped it and pulled his laptop from the inside. "I just found an awesome new game and you've _got_ to try it out." He said, serious tone shifting into a playful one as he grinned broadly.

.

.

.

.

.

Dick looked at him incredulously for a full minute before managing to speak, if one could call it that. "What the-Wha-I-" He sputtered before finally managing to string together a few syllabus. "What the _hell_ man?! I thought something was seriously wrong! You said it was urgent!" He yelled, his eyes narrowing into a batglare.

"Yeah. I lied." Wally replied nonchalantly.

"WHY?!"

"It got you to answer the door, didn't it?"

Dick threw his hands in the air in frustration. "There is something wrong with you West. Something seriously _psychologically_ wrong with you."

"Don't care." Wally said as he set the laptop down. "You've been avoiding me since you came back. The most I've seen of you is the media's periodic updates on 'The search for Richard Grayson's kidnappers'. You are my best friend and I'm through with it. So you and I are going to do something. We are going to sit, eat, have a video game marathon, and you are going to like it if it kills me. And if you complain or try to stop me I will wait here until you're asleep and dye your hair pink."

Dick looked at him with that same disbelieving stare for his entire rant until finally snorting. "Wow. Dramatic much?"

"Is that a yes?" Wally asked hopefully.

"Of course it's a yes. You think I would miss the opportunity to kick you ass _again_?" Dick asked, smiling for the first time in days.

"Don't be so certain! I've been practicing with this one! You don't stand a chance!"

* * *

**Dick**

(Five hours later)

"Nonononononono!" Wally shouted as Dick began to overrun his base. In the background of blasters going off the redhead could hear Dick's signature cackle. "How is this even possible?! I've had this for months! This is the first time you've ever seen it!"

"Sorry Wally. You can't beat me in a regular fight, you can't beat me virtual one." Dick bragged as he continued to mercilessly destroy Wally's base. Only a few minutes later the base was destroyed with a satisfying 'K.O.' appearing on Wally's screen.

Wally tore of his headset in frustration. "You hacked this! I don't know how but you did! Admit it!"

"I'll only admit that I am the undisputed king of gaming. And you sir, you are my serf." Dick said with a proud smirk as he leapt off the bed and walked over to a tray of assorted snacks. Alfred had brought it by earlier, having been all too familiar with Wally's appetite. Dick tossed Wally a chocolate bar, which the red head caught. Dick then got his own candy bar. This was nice. It was _amazing_ really. For the first time in weeks, Dick felt normal. Maybe there was hope for that. Maybe he could have his old life back.

Dick paused from unwrapping the bar.

No. No he would never have his old life back. Nothing could undo what happened with the Court. Nothing would make him forget. And if his friends knew what happened, they wouldn't be so eager to help him. They would see him for what he was.

They would see that he was a monster.

"Dick?" Wally's voice snapped him from his thoughts. He turned to the redhead, who had somehow already eaten over half his snack. "You okay man? You spaced out for a minute."

Dick nodded as he pulled the wrapper from his granola bar. "I'm fine. Just got distracted."

"Okaaaay." Wally said, clearly not believing him. The ginger speedster awkwardly went back to chewing on the last bit of his food before speaking again. "So, I talked to Kaldur yesterday." He mumbled around the food in his mouth.

"Oh yeah?" Dick said absentmindedly as he sat down next to Wally on the bed. "What did you guys talk about?"

"Well...he told me about you leaving the Team." Wally forced out, knowing how Dick would react.

Dick proved him right as he threw his head back and groaned. "How did I know that was the real reason you wanted to hang out? How did I know it?"

"Dick, we're worried about you. First you become a shut in, then you start openly ignoring all your friends, and now you're quitting the team you've been a part of since you were thirteen?"

Dick snorted indignantly. "Honestly Wall, of all the people to lecture me about leaving the Team..."

Wally slapped his hand to his forehead in frustration. He knew this would happen the moment he decided to talk to Dick. "I gave you and Kaldur a good reason though Dick. Tula just died and I saw how much it devastated Kaldur, and I realized I never wanted to lose Artemis like that. I wanted a normal life."

"How do you know I'm not trying to do the same thing?" Dick countered.

Wally stood up and gave him a look that screamed 'Are you serious?!' "You've barely left this room since you came back, you've stopped talking to your friends and family, you haven't gone back to your job, and you wake up every night screaming. You call that a normal life?"

"Well what do you want from me Wally? This isn't exactly something you just get over." Dick replied, starting to raise his voice.

"I want you to talk to us. We _still_ don't know what happened in that Court. You have dozens of people that care about you and want to help you work through this. Why are you icing them all out?"

"I need to protect them!"

"From what?!"

Dick stood up abruptly and looked Wally right in the eye, his face mere inches from Wally's freckled one. "From me! Don't you get it! I'm a monster! You don't have to keep me safe from the world, it's the world that needs to be kept safe from me!"

The words came pouring from Dick's lips before he could stop them. Once he was finished and realized what he had said, he covered his mouth with his hands, eyes widened in horror. It was too late though. Wally had heard him. He managed to catch the stunned expression on Wally's face before he turned around, no longer able to bring himself to face his best friend. "Just...just go Wally. Please just leave." His voice was already beginning to crack.

Wally had been unprepared for what Dick said. He had no idea how to respond. He just wanted so desperately to assure his friend that he was wrong. That he was not a monster. That he would never hurt anyone. But the fight was drained out of him. When Dick told him to leave, his dazed state caused him to do just that. He walked out of the room and manor without another word passing between them. He would have to set the table for Alfred some other day.

Dick just stood there for a while after Wally left. But sooner or later, he collapsed back down on his bed, tears fresh in his eyes.

Wally didn't see it. None of them saw it. Not yet. But what would he do when they did? What would he do when his secrets were laid bare for them to see?

What would he do when they found out what a monster he really was?

* * *

**Tim**

Tim quickly became aware of just how much he enjoyed his newfound independence as Robin. Bruce had been logging extra hours at work to help those kids they had rescued from the Court. He worked well into the night, which meant that Batman was on a temporary leave of absence. And for the first time since his inception, Robin was flying alone.

And so far it had gone off without a hitch. He had taken down crooks left and right. He had even managed to bring the Riddler in single-handedly, despite Bruce's order not to take on any of the major crime bosses without him.

Regardless, Tim found himself enjoying the feeling of doing what he loved without having to answer directly to Bruce. he was beginning to see why Dick had graduated to Nightwing. Perhaps he should have a talk with his brother about him becoming independent as well.

Tim sighed at the thought though. If only his home life was as easy to handle as capturing criminals. Despite his declaration to help Dick through this, he had been unsuccessful in that front so far. Dick still hadn't opened up to any of them about what happened with the Court. He spent most of his days locked in his room, which must have been torture given his fear of small spaces. What could be so bad that he was willing to torment himself like that rather than talk to them? Was he afraid that talking about it would cause him to relive it? Was he afraid that they would think less of him? Tim couldn't understand it.

He decided to push such thoughts down and focus on the task at hand. Swinging from building to building, Tim kept a watchful eye out for any suspicious activity. Eventually he was rewarded by a mugging in a dark alley. Seriously, could these guys get more cliche? They were wearing ski masks and were holding a woman at knife point. There were only two of them, which meant that this would make for a nice and easy exercise.

But when Robin was about to go in and help her, a new figure beat him to it. Out of the darkness a hand reached out and gripped one of the attackers by the shoulder. No...not hand, Tim realized with a start. _Clawed_ hand. The newcomer yanked the man back so that his head hit the brick wall. Robin couldn't help but cringe at the violent cracking sound that echoed through the alley. The other man, releasing his grasp on the woman, abandoned his knife and took out a gun. He attempted to shot the newcomer, but the man's elegant flips and turns kept any of the shots from connecting. The newcomer then kicked off against the wall and sent himself flying at the mugger, his fist colliding with the man's shoulder and eliciting another sickly sounding snap as the man's collar bone was shattered. The victim ran out of the alley screaming, just as terrified of her savior as she had been her attackers.

Now that the man was still and he could be seen clearly, Tim's fears were confirmed. It was indeed a Talon.

The Talon in question bent over and yanked up the man's head before slamming it back to the ground, knocking him out. That's when Tim knew he had seen enough. He dropped down into the alley. The Talon took a defensive stance, but paused when he saw who it was that joined them.

Through his domino mask, Tim was glaring daggers at the Talon. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?!"

"I-"

"Don't bother to deny it! I know your acrobatics anywhere!"

"But-"

"I can't even look at you in that damned mask! Take it off!"

"Tim-"

"NOW DICK!"

The Talon lowered his head in defeat. Slowly, a clawed hand rose up and gripped the cloth of the hood before yanking it off to reveal Dick Grayson's face. He wasn't looking at Tim, and his expression was neutral, but Robin could tell he was ashamed.

That didn't release Tim from the anger he was feeling though. How could Dick do this?! What could possibly lead him to believe that dawning that accursed uniform again would ever be a good idea?!

The sound of sirens cut off his internal rant. The victim must have called the police. Tim growled loudly and turned to his brother. "We'll talk back at the cave. But we will talk." He said, his voice stone cold as he took out his grappling hook and swung up to the nearest rooftop. He stayed just long enough to see his brother run away from the scene before allowing himself to head back to the manor.

* * *

Tim didn't waste time in wondering how Dick had gotten back to the manor before him, or how he snuck in without alerting Alfred. The rage was still very present in him, and with Bruce out of the house and Alfred never going into the cave unless asked, he didn't have to worry about keeping it in or keeping his voice down.

Dick was standing there, leaning against the Batmobile looking down. His Talon hood lay discarded in front of the Batcomputer along with some stray batarangs and various other equipment. His face was still neutral, and he looked as though he was waiting for Tim to yell at him and tell his how very fucked up this was. He wouldn't be disappointed.

"Dick." Tim said, keeping his voice modulated even as anger boiled inside him. "What the _fuck_ were you thinking?"

Dick lowered his head further in shame. That was the moment he truly knew he had screwed up. Tim was the most patient person in their family by far. Even more so than Alfred. To make him of all people swear was itself enough to let one know they were in the doghouse. "You...you wouldn't understand." He whispered. He almost wished Tim hadn't heard it, but in the silence of the cave that was impossible.

Rather than pop his cork then and there, Tim continued to brew as he responded. "We're coming up on an anniversary, you know. It's been two months since you came back."

Dick ignored the seemingly odd change in topic to contemplate Tim's words. He was right. It had been about two months since the Court was taken down and he came back home. That meant it had been almost year since the invasion began. _'Time flies.'_ He supposed. Apparently, Tim had similar thoughts.

"That means it's been over half a year since they took you. _Half a year_ since they tortured you and made you a Talon. _Half a year_ since they, in your words, 'killed Nightwing'." Tim raised his hands to signify the air quotes, and a layer of venom was added to his tone every time he mentioned how long it had been. "And yet here you are, parading around in the uniform they gave you acting like the Talon they thought you were."

That made Dick's head snap up and stare at Tim, a look of betrayal in his eyes. Tim couldn't understand how much those words impacted him. Not unless...

No. No Tim couldn't have found out. He _couldn't_ have. If he had Bruce would have disowned him by now.

"That's not true!" Dick said, finding his voice even though his insides felt like they were in knots. "I'm not like that! I'm saving people!"

"Oh I saw how you were 'saving people'!" Tim said, finally screaming and letting his anger loose. "That man you threw into the wall?! I heard the paramedics talking about him! He could have permanent brain damage! And that other guy?! I don't think he'll ever be able to move his arm without pain again! That's saving people?!"

"They were the bad guys!" Dick defended, but was cut off before he could say anymore.

"And that makes it okay?!" Tim yelled. "Disabling people for life?! You don't think that crosses some kind of line?! And what the hell are you doing in that suit?! Do you even know what it's like for me to see you in that?!"

"SHUT UP!" Dick screamed at the top of his lungs, unshed tears stinging his eyes. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING! YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND!"

"Oh I understand!" Tim shouted back, not wavering in the slightest. "When you told me that you needed space to recover, I understood! When you cut all ties to your friends and quit your job at the police department, I understood! When you decided to quit the Team and leave Nightwing behind, I understood! Hell, I even supported you on that front! But only because I thought you meant you were leaving ALL of that work behind you! Not sneaking out in the middle of the night behind our backs dressed as a goddamned Talon!"

After Tim was done with his rant, he had to stand still for a few moments just to catch his breath. That much at once had taken a lot out of him, physically and emotionally. But as soon as he was ready to speak again, he did, albeit in a far less outraged tone.

Dick was still standing there, still as a statue like he didn't know whether to beg for forgiveness, run away, or break down in crying.

"How long?" Tim said much more gently.

"Tim..." Dick began pleadingly, only to be cut off again.

"How. Long?" Tim repeated.

Dick had to look away again, no longer able to stand the look on his brother's masked face. "Since the beginning." He said as quickly as he could, hoping to get this over with. "Since the night after I got back."

Tim didn't know how he wasn't surprised, or how he avoided another outburst of rage. "Dick..." He started, his voice sounding small from how drained he was. "After everything the Court did to you...after everything you suffered, why would you ever go back out in that suit?"

"I couldn't do nothing." The response was almost immediate, like he had been expecting the question. "I couldn't just let other people get hurt while I did nothing."

"But _why_ as a Talon?" Tim asked pleadingly as he closed the distance between them. Soon he was within arms reach of his predecessor. "If you could sneak out as a Talon, you could have snuck out as Nightwing. Putting on that suit is not healthy. You must know that. So why, even if you felt like you had to do something, would you do it as a Talon?"

"It's what I am now." He said despondently. It was the only answer he could think of. And it was for the most part true. He couldn't be Nightwing again. Nightwing was a hero. Dick Grayson was a monster.

Dick never could have prepared himself for what Tim said next though. "You know what...I think you might be right."

Dick looked at Tim disbelievingly. Had he misheard him?

No, this was real. Tim had no idea, but he was confirming every single fear Dick had kept bottled up.

"Dick never would have done what you have. He never would have lied to us. He never would have brutalized criminals. And he would have _burned_ that suit." Tim said as he looked up at Dick and pulled his mask off, revealing wet eyes and an impassive expression. "The way _your_ acting...that's the way a Talon acts. It's like I don't even know you anymore. The Dick Grayson in front of me, he's no better than Cobb-"

_Crack_

It all happened in an instant. One moment Tim had been in front of Dick, spouting the most hurtful words he could think off. And the next, he was the ground clutching the place where his brother had slapped him.

Tim wasn't sure which one of them was more shocked.

Tim looked up at the young Talon slowly, taking note of his trembling figure. He finally caught the tears in Dick's eyes, though they still hadn't left his lids. But Dick's expression was absolutely _horrified_. It snapped Tim back to reality.

Oh God. What had he done? He just said every awful thing, every single affront and degradation he could think of to his already fragile brother. Tim didn't know what had possessed him to do it. He only knew that he had felt betrayed, and wanted Dick to hurt as badly as he did. No. No please don't let it be too late to fix this. He could fix this, right?

Tim never got the chance to find out. Just as he raised his head to begin spewing apologies, he saw Dick looking down at his own clawed hand in pure fear, his other hand to his mouth to keep himself from screaming. Confused, Tim examined the claw, and quickly found out why Dick was so scared. Running down the claw on his index finger was the smallest stream of blood. The claw must have nicked him when Dick hit him. He had been so preoccupied with the burning in his cheek he hadn't noticed.

Dick's tears finally spilled out, falling over his face and into his glove clutching it, whimpers escaping the muffle the glove created. At that moment Tim knew he was the worst person on Earth.

Even after he had said all those awful, unforgivable things to Dick, it was the act of hurting the person that had just betrayed him that caused him to cry.

Tim thought he heard Dick say something akin to an apology as he spun on his heel and ran upstairs.

"Dick wait!" Tim called, but it was too late. Dick was gone.

And with him, any hope Tim had of helping his brother.

Dick was anything but alright.

And Tim hadn't helped him.

Tim had made things worse.

* * *

Tim was beginning to get tired as he walked through the caverns of the Labyrinth. But he couldn't stop now.

His vicious attack on Dick had been the previous night, and it had become evident how much he had made things worse. Dick had another night terror, even though they had all but disappeared until then. He refused to come out of the room all day, despite his claustrophobia. But worst of all, when Tim passed by his door, he heard relentless sobbing.

Tim knew he had to find someway to make things right. But to do that, he needed to find out once and for all what the Court had done to Dick. His brother certainly wasn't going to tell him, especially not now. That meant returning to the belly of the beast. The facility used by the Court had been abandoned, though they most likely had more around the city. He and Batman had made it a plan to come back and collect as much evidence as the could on the Court, but they had been so caught up in trying to help Dick recover, it soon became an afterthought. So here he was, without Batman being any the wiser as to what he was doing.

He rounded yet another corner, and finally found himself at the fountain where they had confronted Dick. The many coffins that had housed the Talons were still there, though they were empty now. Tim looked over them all until he finally found the one he was looking for. The words 'Gray Son' were engraved on a bronze label above the coffin. Shaking his head in disgust, Tim ran his hands over the coffin until he found the latch to open it. When he did, it took an effort not to gag.

Kaldur had been telling the truth in his report. Brown stains that could only be dried blood were on the inside of the coffin, laced with claw marks. But these weren't made by the golden claws of a Talon. What Tim found next confirmed that. Seeing something sticking out of the metal, Tim took out a pair of tweezers and used them to pull it out. Stuffing down his horror, Tim realized it was a fingernail. Dick had tried to claw his way out with his bare hands. Suddenly the screams of 'LET ME OUT' that were often heard during his night terrors made sense. Tim had never noticed any damage to his brother's nails though. It must have been due to the healing of Talons.

Deciding there was nothing more to be learned from the coffin, Tim turned away and began to search elsewhere. Soon he found himself in what looked like a surveillance room. Taking a seat at the digital terminal, Tim found multiple video files with dates next to them. The last one was dated the night they got Dick back from the Court. Scrolling down, Tim selected a file that was dated just a few days after Dick was taken. Tim took a deep breath and let himself contemplate what he was about to witness. Whatever had happened to Dick that traumatized him so thoroughly, he was about to watch it. But Tim still shook his head to clear himself of the consequences. What might give him nightmares didn't matter. Only helping Dick mattered. After what he did, he owed him that much. Tim pressed play.

After half a heartbeat of waiting, a video began to play.

* * *

**Barbara**

(The following day)

Things had been slow lately. They had finished their work with the Court some time ago. Their take down had helped them in bringing down numerous other criminal enterprises, Luthor included. Babs hadn't missed the smiles on Superboy and Superman's faces as they watched him get dragged away in cuffs on national TV.

But now they hadn't really had to do anything pressing. Just surveillance and such. She had to guess that the Light was slowing things down after having so many of it's members captured.

Not that Barbara was complaining. It finally allowed her to dive into her school work. Barbara was easily one of the smartest people in her class, but you could only miss so many classes. And on the excused absence sheet, it baffled her to no end that they didn't have an option that read 'fighting crime'. Dick used to laugh at that joke.

She sighed at the thought. Dick had still refused any contact with anyone from the Team since his resignation, save for Wally. But based on how the speedster had behaved after that encounter, it hadn't gone well.

So when she got a text from Tim earlier that day saying that they had to meet at the Watchtower, she had almost jumped for joy. Surely this had something to do with Dick. What had surprised her though was to show up only to find Wally, Conner, M'gann, Artemis, and Kaldur already there, with Tim nowhere to be seen.

That was how she found herself waiting there for Tim to show up. Some of the others were chatting, but she was too deep in thought to engage them. What pulled her back to reality was a voice sounding from the Zeta Tubes.

_Recognized: Robin B20_

Everyone immediately turned their attention to the Zeta Tubes in anticipation, but what came out had them afraid.

Tim was paler than a ghost. He was just barely stumbling into the room before he hit the ground, hyperventilating by the looks of it. Even with his eyes covered, his slits in the domino mask were wide enough to convince Barbara that he was afraid for his life.

Conner was the first to react, rushing to his friend's side and pulling him to his feat. They made their way to the couch as Conner urged the boy to breathe. Everyone was swarming him soon, asking what was wrong, if he had been attacked. Barbara got him some water for what it was worth. He drank it without stopping for air even once.

Soon he had his breathing under control again, enough so that he could talk. "I...I saw."

Barbara gave him a confused look. "Saw what Timmy?"

He crossed his legs on the couch and wrapped his arms around himself, as though he was trying to make himself seem small. "I...I know what the Court did. I know what Dick..."

That shut them all up. At least for a few minutes. Long enough for Tim to calm down some more and continue. "I went back to the Court's base. They _recorded_ it Babs." He said, his voice broken.

Her own eyes widened at the prospect, before her shock gave way to rage. Those bastards! Not only had they tortured her best friend, they had _taped_ it! Like it was some sort of sick game?!

Eventually she managed to calm herself down, just in time for Conner to grip Tim's shoulder and speak in a low voice. "Tim. What did they do?"

That question had been weighing on all of their minds for some time now. Since they got Dick back for that matter. Now that the answer was here, it occurred to them just how horrible it would truly be to hear the answer. But that didn't matter. They _had_ to know what happened. For Dick.

"It was worse than we could have imagined." Tim mumbled, still clearly freaked out. "I forced myself to watch everything they did. They activated the electrum almost right away, after his fight with the others. After that, they offered him the choice to become a Talon willingly or they could force him to. He told them to go to hell..." Tim trailed off before starting again.

"Because of his healing, they could do almost _anything_ to him without worrying about him dying. They electrocuted him, burned him, they...they..." Tim had to pause. Before any of them could even think about offering him comfort, he tore off his domino mask and allowed tears to pour freely from his eyes. "Oh God! He screamed all the time! He called out for Bruce! He called out for ME! He called out for...for..." Tim's rant dissolved into sobs. Barbara quickly took a seat next to him and pulled him close to her. She didn't need him to finish. She knew. Dick had called out for _them._ For his team.

"Oh Timmy. I wish you had waited. I wish you had never seen that." Babs sighed as she began to stroke his hair back. Because of how responsible and mature he was, it was easy to forget that Tim was only a kid. She wanted answers on what happened to Dick, but not at the expense of Tim's innocence.

"Don't be like that Babs." He mumbled, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I've been taking down criminals for almost two years now. I'm looking innocence in the rear-view mirror."

_'Oh. Did I say that out loud?'_

"And it was worth it." Tim said as he pulled away from her and got up to walk over to the Watchtower's terminal. Once there he took a wire connected to his wrist and plugged it in before typing out some code. A large holographic screen was pulled up in front of them with a large file tagged on its' folder. "I found out what made Dick like this. It's all right here."

A pregnant pause overtook everyone there. One video explained how Dick became so withdrawn? How was that possible? Weeks on weeks of relentless torture was the only explanation. There was no way that was all crammed into one video.

On top of that disbelief, Barbara couldn't do it. She couldn't subject her eyes and her brain to something that made Tim this upset. She just couldn't. "Tim, if what you're about to show us is a clip of Dick being brutally tortured, I don't need to be here."

"That's not what it is." Tim said, keeping his eyes focused on the screen. "It's...something else."

"Can't you get a little more specific?" Wally asked from his seat next to Artemis. "I have to be honest Tim, whatever is on there, I don't want to see it either. It's bad enough imagining that stuff. I don't think I can bring myself to watch."

An unspoken hum of agreement passed over them, but Tim just shook his head. "That's not...look, I don't want you to see it either. I'm going to have nightmares over it. But if you don't see it with your own eyes, you'll never believe what happened."

Barbara was going to renew her protest when she saw the pleading gaze in Tim's eyes. It caused her to freeze up. She could see it all there. The pain and trauma yes, but also disbelief. Whatever was on there, even Tim didn't want to believe it, and he had seen it with his own eyes. If he truly thought that it was best to watch it through then...

"Okay then." Barbara said. Before anyone could contradict her she turned to face the group. "Let's just put our faith in Tim here. And whatever Dick went through is still at least partially on us. We owe him this."

No one could escape her reasoning. Tim's call for trust was iron clad, and they all wanted to help Dick. Everyone slowly gave way and nodded.

Taking advantage of the situation, Tim pressed play before anyone could change their mind.

* * *

**Dick**

_Several months earlier_

_Dick tried his very best to scream, but the water suppressed any noise from him. The Court had quite the imagination for techniques in the art of breaking a person's will. They had already gone through electricity, blades, whips, branding irons..._

_Dick lost hope some time ago when he realized that he was actually_ **wished** _one of these terrible methods would just kill him already! But no matter how painful or humiliating or hopeless it got he survived._

_He just! Wouldn't! Die!_

_This was their latest in a long line of malicious inventions. Dick was sealed inside a vat of water that then had the opening sealed shut and more liquid poured in until there was no air left inside. Though it wasn't possible for him to die and by extension, couldn't drown, his lungs still screamed for air. It was like being killed without the pleasure of things actually ending. To make things worse, they had started to bring the water that surrounded him to a boil. Dick hadn't noticed at first due to the pain in his lungs, but slowly his skin began to feel like it was on fire._

_He floated inside the water for what felt like an eternity, clutching his throat and failing to even scream in pain. But miracle of miracles, the container was eventually opened and turned on its' side so that he came tumbling out as the water poured from the container. Dick began to violently cough up water until he was satisfied that his airways were clear. Once that was done, he heaved in all the air he could, as if it would disappear if he didn't. The blisters and burns began to fade and give way to alabaster skin, though Dick almost preferred them to the corpse pale skin he now possessed._

_He was currently wearing a standard Talon uniform, but they hadn't given him the gloves, which left his hands bare to see. In fact, they hadn't equipped him with any weapons whatsoever. They wouldn't until they were satisfied that he was a loyal servant of the Court of Owls. And that was never going to happen. He would keep this up. He wouldn't stop rejecting them until they had no choice but to kill him. Then he would finally be free._

_A slow clapping sound put Dick on high alert. He looked around the room rapidly to see what was going on. He was at the room with the fountain again, and two Talons were carrying away the container he had just been trapped in. But his eyes were locked on another figure. He glared daggers as William Cobb began to enter the room, clapping his hands together slowly._

_"I must admit my dear grandson, I am impressed. Many of our own Talons would have broken by now. You however...it is clear that we underestimated you." Cobb said as he approached._

_Dick immediately went after him. He attempted to strike the Talon's face, but he was in no condition to take on this foe or any other. Cobb grabbed his fist and used the momentum to flip him over, sending him crashing to the ground on his back. Dick tried in vain to get up as Cobb went on.  
_

_"As I was saying, we have underestimated you. You, and your loyalty to Wayne. But I think I have found the perfect solution for that." Cobb said with a sly grin as he snapped his fingers. Dick turned to see two more Talons walking into the room, but they weren't alone. The were dragging someone in forcefully. It was obviously a man by the size of him, and they were carrying him by the underside of his arms so that his legs were dragging on the ground behind them. He was probably gagged, as the only sound coming from him were muffled whimpers. It was hard to say as he also had a cloth hood over his head. He seemed to be wearing a very expensive suit, meaning they had only just taken him. The Talon's stopped and help their position once they were in arms' length of Cobb, keeping a firm hold on their prisoner._

_"This has all become much simpler Gray Son." Dick growled at the use of the Court's name for him, but Cobb continued. "Rather than have you become a Talon right away, we will do this gradually. And we begin with him." Cobb said, pointing to the man. "The Court of Owls has sentenced him to die. If you can do that Gray Son, if you can kill him, this all stops. We will never hurt you again, unless you require discipline of course. It is a fair trade. His life for yours."_

_Dick wanted to scoff. He wanted to tell Cobb where he could shove his offer. He wanted to smirk and crack jokes like he had so many other times while facing situations like this._

_But this was no laughing matter._

_Because the truth was, Dick was fighting himself tooth and nail to say no._

_He wanted so badly to say no. But the temptation was like nothing he ever felt before. It was stronger than his happiness in his Flying Grayson days. Stronger than his glee while flying through the night skies of Gotham and Bludhaven. God help him, his need to say yes was stronger than his love for his family._

_When Cobb finished his part in making the offer, Dick had to physically bite his tongue to keep himself from screaming yes until he went blue in the face. It had been nearly five months that he had been here. Every single day was worse than the last. And it had become horrifyingly clear a long time ago that no one was coming for him._

_He just wanted it to stop. He wanted it all to stop._

_Dick always had a high tolerance for pain. It came with the job. But this...this was as close to death as one could get without dying._

_Every single bone in his body had been broken. His eyes had been ground out. His tongue had been severed from his mouth. And the cold..._

_...it was always so cold..._

_Dick cried in desperation as he allowed himself to collapse on the floor before the prisoner and the Talons that held him. "I can't do it...I can't do it...I can't..."_

_There was a part of Dick that became outraged at his own answer. That demanded he take back what he had said and take the prisoner's life now._

_But Dick stuffed these thoughts down with all the strength he had left. He couldn't do it. He couldn't betray what Bruce stood for._

_Much to his surprise, Cobb actually seemed pleased by the answer. He knelt down and yanked Dick up by his hair, causing the vigilante to growl in pain. He forced Dick's head in a position so that he was staring right at the prisoner, and with his other hand, Cobb yanked off the man's hood._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_Dick felt something break inside of him. He forgot his name. Who he was. Where he was. What he was doing there. All of that faded to white. His mouth went dry and his chest tightened. Before he could even attempt to stop them, those evil thoughts from before swarmed to the surface, and took full possession of his body like a demon rising out of hell._

_The man they had prisoner was looking down whimpering pathetically, though it was muffled by the cloth he'd been gagged with. He appeared to be of Italian_ _descent, and_ _was obese. He was balding, but what little black hair he did have atop his head was slicked back to cover the crown as best it could. When he looked up to Dick pleadingly, Dick saw a familiar pair of copper brown eyes. He knew those eyes. Those eyes haunted his nightmares. He saw those eyes before he went to sleep at night and every morning when he woke up. The resolve that Dick had built up...the resolve that refused to allow him to betray Batman by agreeing to work for them...it melted away like snow dropped in a roaring fire._

_"I'll let you and mister Zucco get...reacquainted." With that Cobb snapped his fingers again and the Talons departed from the room, letting the gagged man fall to the floor. They didn't have to worry about him getting up. His knee was shattered. Before he left though, Cobb glanced back and tossed something which landed on the ground in front of Dick. With one last glance at the soon-to-be Talon, Cobb was gone._

_Dick remained frozen in the position they had left him. He was staring at Zucco as though he couldn't decide whether or not this was really happening. Lord knows how many times he had hallucinated within the Labyrinth._

_Something in his gut told him this was real though. This was Tony Zucco. The man who murdered his parents and ruined his life was mere feet away from him, locked in a room with someone who had been trained by the greatest warriors on earth, and left completely unable to defend himself._

_They were alone..._

_No one could see him..._

_No one could_ **stop** _him..._

_He could do whatever..._

_...he..._

_...wanted._

_Sooner or later, Dick managed to lower his gaze to the object that Cobb had tossed. There before him lay a pair of golden claws. Hesitantly, Dick picked up one of them. Some unseen force began to guide his hand as he gently slipped it on without thinking. Dick couldn't describe what he was feeling at that moment. If he had to put a word to it he would say he felt...complete. The glove he was wearing felt as natural on his body as skin. Without the previous hesitation, he put the other on and flexed ten fingers out quickly, causing the claws to extend. He looked down at the soft glow of light reflected in them, completely mesmerized. It was the sound of Zucco struggling to get up that got his attention away from the claws._

_Zucco was trying to get up, but to no avail. All he had managed to do was rub more dirt and grime onto his already filthy face. Slowly, Dick got up from his kneeling position and walked over slowly. Zucco must have caught the movement out of the corner of his eye because he looked up at Dick again with that same expression to plead for help. Dick almost scoffed at the sight. At an intentionally agonizing pace, Dick lowered himself down to a kneeling position and slipped the gag out of Zucco's mouth, causing the whimpers to increase in volume. "P-pl-please! You've got to get me out of here!"_

_"Shhhhhhhh." Dick hushed as he pressed a newly taloned finger to Zucco's lips. Zucco became alarmed at the sight of the claws and did as told, too afraid to do anything else._

_"You don't recognize me. Do you?" Dick asked in a voice that was far too calm for these circumstances. It was no surprise. Between his pale skin, golden eyes, black veins, and how much he had aged since the last time he had seen this man, it would be a miracle if_ **Bruce** _was able to recognize him. Still, Dick answered for him. "Oh, of course you don't. After all, what's another orphaned kid to you..."_

_Zucco looked up at him, obviously confused, and pulled back when he saw the yellow eyes. He kicked against the floor with his one good leg in an attempt to get away, but Dick hauled him up to a standing position and would not release the grip on his shoulders. Zucco stood there on one leg, so as not to agitate the injury to the other._

_"What about the Flying Graysons, hmm? Does that strike a cord?" Dick asked, his voice still impossibly calm._

_Zucco looked at him with his eyes bugging out of his skull. "Th-the Graysons?! That was twelve years ago! It was just business!"_

_That's when anger and hatred burst through the wall of calm he'd been keeping up. Dick quickly shifted his grasp on Zucco's shoulders to his neck and began to squeeze, causing the mobster to gasp for air._

_"Business?!" He roared. "You slaughtered an entire family and you call it business?! I want you to be honest Zucco, and if you lie I will gut you like the pig you are! You don't even remember them do you?! The names yes, but you can't even remember their faces, can you?!"_

_Too terrified of the man holding him to lie, Zucco let out a strangled response of, "No! No I don't!"_

_"Well that makes one of us!" Dick screamed as he threw Zucco to the wall with his enhanced strength. Zucco hit his side against it and certainly broke a few ribs. When he landed on the ground, he began to try in vain to get away, but it was no use._

_"You're lucky! I can remember everything!" Dick screamed to the point of his throat becoming raw as he stalked closer to Zucco. "I remember my parents! They loved me! They taught me how to fly! They made me everything I am! I remember my aunt and uncle! They loved me like I was their own! I remember my cousin! He was my hero and my best friend! I worshiped the ground he walked on! But above all, I remember watching them_ **fall!** _I remember seeing them break against the ground! I remember having to watch them get carted off in body bags!"_

_Dick's eyes were streaming with angry tears. He picked Zucco up, clutching the sides of his head. Then he saw as recognition lit up in Zucco's eyes. "You-you're him! You're that Grayson kid!" He said, panic flooding his voice._

_"No." Dick said as he pressed down harder on the man's skull. "I'm a Talon. And the Court of Owls has sentenced you to die." Dick had no idea where these words were coming from. He only knew that they felt_ **good**. _He had fantasized about this moment for years, but the utter pleasure he was getting from this moment could not be overstated. It didn't show on his face though, as he continued to glare_ _daggers as Zucco. "But...they never said I couldn't have some_ **fun** _first."_

_Dick moved his thumbs over the ocular sockets and lifted them up before bending them at angles so that his claws were pointing directly at Zucco's pupils. Zucco's eyes widened as the claws pointed towards them. Dick was glad. He wanted Zucco to know what was going to happen._

_Zucco screamed as the two claws plunged into his eyes, gouging them out. Blood and white discharge oozed over Dick's knuckles as Zucco continued to howl in pain. But the wrath rushing through him wasn't quelled just yet. Dick yanked his thumbs out and tossed Zucco to the ground. Once again the man proceeded to try and crawl away, now with no way of knowing where he was going. "Help! Somebody help me!"_

_Dick snarled like a wild animal and he reached down and flipped Zucco onto his back before kneeling on top of him. "No! You don't get to play the victim!" He screamed in feral rage._

_"Let's get this straight right now." Dick growled as he leaned down towards the mobster's eyeless face. "My family,_ **they're** _the victims!_ **You're** _the criminal!_ **This** **is justice!**"

_"Please." Zucco whimpered and sobbed. "I'm sorry."_

_"No you're not. You don't know the feeling." Dick said before digging his claws into the man's fat belly, eliciting more screams in pain. "But believe me. You_ **will** _."_

_The next hour or so was a blur of blood and screaming and slicing._

_Dick somehow found his way to the fountain when it was all said and done. He couldn't even see because of all the blood covering his face. The fountain water wasn't safe to drink, but he saw no issue in washing up in it._

_After he had splashed enough water in his face that he could see clearly, he turned back to Zucco. The image was still blurred, but he could clearly see that the man was no longer moving._

_That's when a new sound entered the room. It was laughing. It was slow and quiet at first, but eventually rose to the sound of an all out cackle. It took Dick a moment to realize that he himself was the one laughing._

_He just couldn't help it. He doubled over and fell to his knees in front of the fountain. He had never felt so elated in his life. The man who killed his family was_ **dead!** _The Court would stop hurting him. For the first time in over half a year, Dick was genuinely happy._

_But that all came to a halt when he heard a slow applause once again. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. Cobb walked towards him and knelt down in front of him, putting a hand on his shoulder._

_Dick didn't react. He still felt too good. Even Cobb couldn't take this away from him now. And William Cobb was many things, but I liar was not one of them. He had said the Court would put an end to his torture. For once, maybe Dick would be able to sleep without being afraid of what the next day brought._

_"I am so proud of you my boy."_

_That one statement made the whole world tilt and caused Dick to sober up. Proud? Cobb was_ **Proud** _? Dick still didn't regret his actions, but having Cobb praise him for them made them feel..._ **wrong.**

 _"The way you did it with almost no hesitation. And that_ **ferocity** _. You are all that I hoped for and more. You will be an excellent Talon."_

_That's what finally set Dick off. He looked up and met his ancestor's gaze without flinching and gripped the front of his uniform. "No." He said with conviction. "No, I won't. I'll never be a Talon. You can keep going all you want Cobb, but I'll never be anything like you. And when I get out of here-"_

_"You'll_ **what** _?" Cobb asked in a sarcastic tone. "Where will you go if you get free? Who will take you in? You just broke Wayne's most precious rule. You killed a man in cold blood, who was begging you for his life."_

_Dick's hold on the uniform faded as the words came baring down on him. "N...no. It wasn't like that. Zucco was...you said...it was...I..." Every response died in his throat._

_"You what, Gray Son?" Cobb asked as he took hold of Dick's chin and forced him to meet his own golden eyes again. "You didn't know what you were doing? You were desperate? In pain? It was a_ **mistake** _?" He said, spitting out the last word. He used his hold on Dick's chin to force him to turn to Zucco's body. "That looks very intentional to me."_

 _If Dick's throat weren't already so damaged he would scream at the top of his lungs. Was this even possible? Had he really done_ **that** _?_

_Zucco's face barely looked human. Besides the gaping holes where his eyes should have been, there were also claw marks that cut through his cheeks and revealed his teeth for all to see. His mouth was suspended open in a perpetual scream. One arm had been dislocated, while the other was completely torn from it's socket. Based on the amount of blood that laid next to the open wound, it had been done while he was very much alive. But his main body had been the worst. His chest was splayed open with ribs and his innards were spilled out to the sides. He had been completely disemboweled. It looked like a wild animal had done it._

_No...no not an animal. A **Talon**._

_Dick scrambled away from the scene in terror. No. No this wasn't right. He...he..._

_Dick still couldn't form a protest, even in his mind. What was there to say? He knew what he had been doing. He knew that it was wrong. He took to his role as Talon so easily. And he had_ **enjoyed** _it._

_But it still just wasn't right! He was supposed to be a hero! He didn't kill! He didn't! Even someone as despicable as Zucco!_

_But the evidence was laid bare in front of him. He had killed. And there was no atoning for something like this or trying to forget about it. This was real. This was permanent. No matter what he did for the rest of his life, this would never go away. He was a murderer now and forever._

_Dick lurched forward, afraid he might be sick. Denial and guilt raged in his mind. It kept him from noticing Cobb's sly grin widen._

_"If only Wayne could see you now." Dick froze at the use of his guardian's name. "I imagine that he would throw you in Arkham himself. That is, of course, if he didn't behead you. After all, you are a murderer. Just like Zucco. Just. Like. Me."_

_Dick began to breathe rapidly. He hadn't even thought about Bruce! Oh God! How could he ever bring himself to look his father in the eyes again?! He **killed** someone! He broke his vow to Bruce!_

_What if Cobb was right? What if Bruce saw him as just another Talon after he found out? And what about Tim? What about Babs? What about Wally? Would they also be disgusted by what he had done? By what he had become?_

_How could he ever tell them all how sorry he was for what he'd done?_

_Dick was full on hyperventilating when Cobb walked over and knelt down in front of him again. "Our bloodline stretches back to the Court's very founding. We have served them since the founding of Gotham, and we will continue to do so after this city has returned to the dirt." He then reached forward and grabbed Dick's face to force him to look up again._

_"Welcome to the family. You're finally one of us."_

_That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Dick no longer cared about how damaged his throat already was. He screamed. He screamed for betraying Bruce. He screamed for the lose of his innocence. He screamed for giving into the Court._

_He screamed for becoming their Gray Son._

* * *

_It was three days before they woke him up. After his break down they put him in the cryochamber to settle down. Dick knew he had been ignorant and a fool to think the Court would keep their word in ending his abuse. Going into that coffin was the worst torment of all. Being crammed inside as the cold slowly set in, freezing to death but unable to die._

_Soon they dragged another person into the room with a hood over their head before the Talons pulled it off. Dick recognized the prisoner. She was the Gotham Commissioner of Cultural Affairs. He had seen her before at galas and such. She wouldn't have been hard to capture, and she had no chance of getting away. She was paralyzed from the waist down. (3) And like Zucco, she had pleading tears in her eyes while looking at him._

_Cobb had told him to kill her. He had blatantly refused. Even if he had dragged the Joker in here, he still would have said no. Never again. Not after Zucco._

_Cobb didn't say a word in response. He only began to dig his claws into her upper back and drag them slowly across her flesh. Muffled screams of pain came from behind her gag. Dick's eyes widened in horror as he shouted at Cobb to stop._

_William retracted his claws and told Dick that_ **he** _could stop it. He only had to kill her. If he didn't, her death would put Zucco's suffering to shame._

_Dick looked at her with another conflict ragging in his mind. He wouldn't be able to save her. He was to weak from being in hibernation. Usually they used serum to minimize the effects of hibernation on Talons, but they had denied it to him in this case. And even if by some miracle he could find the strength to even pick her up, an army of Talons would be waiting to stop them._

_He swore he would never kill again! But was letting this poor woman suffer worth it? He didn't get to dwell on the thought any further. Cobb became impatient and sunk his claws into her back again, eliciting more screaming._

_Dick felt his resolve shatter in the midst of her wailing. He shouted at Cobb to stop, that he'd do it. Cobb pushed her to the ground and walked out of the room to leave them alone. Before he was gone though, Cobb ordered him to 'say the words'. Dick didn't need further explanation, nor did he need to be told that if he didn't both him and the woman would suffer._

_He slowly brought himself over to her and picked her up off the ground and cradled her in his lap. He told her that the Court of Owls had sentenced her to die, and he hated every minute of it. Then he lifted the gag and asked her for last words._

_She looked at him with understanding in her tear-filled eyes. She knew that he was just as much a prisoner here as she. She nodded and took him into her confidence, sharing the last words she would ever utter. They completely shattered Dick's spirit._

_"Please tell my little girl...her mommy loves her very much."_

_To Dick that had been worse then if she had begged for her life or called him a monster. He was about to kill a mother. He was going to orphan a child...just like Zucco had done to him. He nearly changed his mind, but reminded himself what her death would be like if not by his hands. With wet eyes, he nodded to her. He had to turn away as he gripped her head and yanked her jaw up and head back, snapping her neck._

_After all was said and done, Dick silently wept over the corpse of the woman he killed._

* * *

_The next time had been a few days later. It had been another person he knew. It was a boy he had encountered at Gotham Academy. Dick couldn't remember the guy's name though. They had sat at the same lunch table and been partnered together in a few classes but they were more acquaintances than friends. Dick was thankful that he didn't seem to recognize him though._

_This time Dick didn't need Cobb to tell him the stakes. He went over snapped the boy's head back. After what happened with the woman (Valerie, her name was) he couldn't bring himself to listen to another person's screams, nor their last words._

_Talons carried his body out without anyone uttering a word. And Dick allowed a stray tear to escape from his eye._

* * *

_Dick didn't know the next person to be brought in for execution. He didn't know if this man was a cop or a criminal, a sinner or a saint. What he knew is that no one deserved to suffer like the Court would make him if he didn't do what needed to be done. Dick killed him without hesitation. This time no tears were shed. No regrets were pondered._

_That was what scared Dick the most. He was becoming numb to this. He was becoming a Talon._

* * *

_There was only one more. Dick barely looked at the man before killing him. It was easier that way. Easier not to humanize them. He refused to allow tears to come or any expression to form on his face. He couldn't let the Court know that he was still Richard Grayson. For the time being, he was the Gray Son of Gotham._

_The aftermath had been far more interesting than the act itself, as it turned out. Cobb told him that the Court had been satisfied with his work, and would be sending him out for his first assignment soon._

_Dick still forced his face to remain impassive, even though internally he was ecstatic. This was his chance! He would be free soon! He could go home!_

_At least until Bruce found out what he did. What he was now._

_After that, Dick wasn't sure what he would do. He would just hope and pray that no one ever found out what he had done here. Hope that his secrets would stay buried forever._

_Hope that no one would find out that he was a monster._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) I have no idea if this is true for the Judge of Owls from the comics, I'm basing it off of Batman vs Robin.
> 
> (2) In my mind, Dick looks like the cover image for the story.
> 
> (3) Refers to Valerie Venderman, one of the people killed during the Night of Owls.
> 
> So this was originally supposed to be a three-shot but after writing this chapter and seeing how long it was I realized it should be split into two, so it is now a four-shot.
> 
> I hope to have the rest up soon. Until then, please tell me what you thought.


	3. Talon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the revelation of what happened in the Court of Owls, the Team calls in the one person who might be able to understand what Dick went through. But it soon becomes clear that not everyone is as understanding as they are.

The video stopped there.

No one dared to make a sound. The inside of the Watchtower was just as silent as the outside, in the maddening silence of space.

Tim had been right. If he had attempted to tell them what happened, they wouldn't have believed him. Even after watching it with their own eyes there were those among them that wanted to believe that the footage had been altered. But they all knew in their hearts that it wasn't fake. This was the truth.

Dick hadn't become withdrawn over what the Court did to _him._ It was what _he_ had done for the Court.

Suddenly it made perfect sense why Dick refused to talk about what happened. He was terrified of being ostracized for his actions. Quite frankly, they couldn't blame him. It had been horrifying enough for them to watch, even though they knew the cold, calculating expression carried towards the end was a mask. In a way, that knowledge made it worse. Dick knew what he was doing, from start to finish. And while he hadn't been given much of a choice in the deaths of the others, Zucco was another matter.

The way he killed him so savagely and then _laughed_ over it. At that moment some of them wondered if Dick was worth saving. Then they watched as he realized what he had done and their hearts broke as one. What happened between him and Zucco had been in a haze of torture and hatred and desperation. They couldn't blame him for it even if they wanted to. But they were sure that Dick blamed himself. And now that this had come to light, they had to do something.

Barbara sat up and moved in front of the group on shaky legs before turning back to face them. "Just so we're all in agreement, what happened was _not_ Dick's fault."

"Of course." Wally said with a breathless conviction. "We can all agree on that, right?" Wally looked to the other members for assurance.

Artemis laid her hand on her boyfriend's arm and gave it a tight squeeze. That was all the assurance he needed from her. He could hardly blame her for not being able to form coherent words at the moment.

M'gann, wiping stray tears from her eyes, bowed her head in agreement. "He's been through enough. He's going to need our support now more than ever."

From beside her, Conner nodded his head as well. "I can't help but think...if you three had come to Cadmus a few months later, that easily could have been me. Of course I'm in."

That left Kaldur, who looked down as he responded. "Watching that was...hard. But you're right M'gann. We need to be by his side. He's suffered enough. We couldn't help him then, but we can and will now."

"Do..." Wally started. He swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. "Do we tell the League?"

That was a good question. Though they were certain that the League would be understanding for the most part, some Leaguers that didn't know Dick like Doctor Fate may insist on turning him into the authorities. That thought did not bode well with any of them.

"We have to...eventually." Kaldur answered. "But we should tell Dick we know first. We owe him that."

"We should wait until tomorrow." Tim said with guilt heavy in his voice. "He's already had a pretty...rough day, to say the least." And Tim knew that it was entirely on him. Dick had a major relapse after their fight, and had gone back to hiding in his room. Tim knew that finding out they knew his secret would only make it worse, but it was something that had to be done. It was better to rip off the proverbial bandage. Whether it was better for them or Dick though, he could not say.

Tim did allow himself a moment to think about how this would impact Dick. It might actually make him better. To know that none of his friends held him responsible for the acts he had been forced to commit. He had been living with this guilt for too long. Now he needed someone to yell at him that he wasn't responsible for what happened there.

One by one, the Team recollected themselves and began to leave. Conner was still comforting M'gann and Artemis was doing the same for Wally. Kaldur, ever the leader, refused to let it show in front of everyone else just how much watching that video had affected him. But Tim could tell, he was just as dismayed and disgusted by what the Court had done. Barbara was similar to that. Even though she hadn't gone through the same training process that he and the other Robins had, she was still good at hiding her true feelings when the need arose. But just by knowing her, Tim knew that it was taking all she had not to break down and begin screaming and crying right there in the Watchtower. He was tempted to take her home and make sure she was okay, but Tim had to go see Dick for his own peace of mind.

That left Tim to confront how _he_ felt about the whole situation. See, the Bats had an odd relationship with the concept of killing. While the barring of such an act was Batman's golden rule, Bruce had taken Tim into his confidence one night that it was not so black and white. Tim had lost his temper on a thug that they went after as Batman and Robin. They pulled him off a girl that couldn't be more than thirteen. When checking to see if she was alright, Tim realized he recognized the girl. He was friends with her at school. Tim had lost it and gone postal on the man, shattering his leg and nearly paralyzing him from the sheer amount of strikes he had delivered to the spine. As they rode home silently in the Batmobile, Tim spent the entire time wondering what punishment awaited him. To his shock, Bruce had pulled down the cowl when he spoke. He told Tim he had nothing to be ashamed of because everyone, even _Bruce,_ had their breaking points. Sometimes, he had wished to kill criminals that were truly deserving, but refused to let himself cross that line no matter how much he was tempted.

That had completely blown Tim away. Batman lost his temper sometimes? He had a breaking point? Despite being one of the few heroes without powers, it was easy to forget that Batman was flesh and blood. But apparently, being Batman didn't mean he was perfect without sin. Tim let this acceptance settle into his chest. Sometimes it was okay to wish someone else dead.

That said, Tim never personally experienced this. He had never truly wished to kill anyone. Yes, he had beaten that filth to a bloody pulp. But his intention hadn't been murder. Tim never had the urge to kill another human being, despite both Bruce and Dick claiming that they occasionally became tempted to do just that. Tim thought he had that urge once, when he thought Kaldur had killed Artemis. But with time, that urge tucked itself away into the farthest reaches of his mind and vanished when he learned that Artemis was okay. And, of course, he had been tempted without exception to kill William Cobb, or the Judge of Owls if and when they finally found her.

But now that was gone as well. Because seeing Dick like that...

Seeing how his older brother had become so haunted and distant over being forced to do just that...Tim finally realized, that wasn't him. He didn't want that for himself or anyone else he cared about. He only wished he had been there to keep it from happening to Dick.

* * *

The journey home had been uneventful. Tim stripped off his Robin uniform and went upstairs, not caring at the moment that it was left haphazardly on the floor. He would get an earful from Alfred, but later.

Tim was just...exhausted. Physically and emotionally exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to crash into his mattress and fall into a peaceful, dreamless sleep. But then again, since when did he ever get what he wanted?

Tim absentmindedly took the route that passed by Dick's room. That of course caused him to hear the whimpers coming from inside. Tim opened the door cautiously to peer inside, and what he found broke his heart even more thoroughly.

Curled up tightly in the corner of the room was his brother, laying on his side and legs pulled to his chest with arms locked around them. Dick was shaking violently and tears were dripping from his face and into the carpet below. He didn't seem to be aware of Tim's presence, which meant this was most likely a night terror. Whenever Dick was conscious he was on high alert at all hours.

This sight was not a foreign one. Tim had seen Dick like this more times than he'd care to admit since his return. But this was not a sight that one got used to. He never would get used to it.

Without hesitation, Tim walked over and wrapped his arms around Dick's shaking form. The articles he had looked up regarding night terrors assured him that the person under one was not aware of external forces, but these small kind gestures always seemed to calm Dick down to a lesser degree.

"I didn't want to. I swear I didn't want to." Dick strained through the sobs.

Tim sighed, refusing to let his own tears fall. For weeks Dick had been unwittingly uttering those words in these fugue states, and only now did Tim comprehend their meaning.

"I know you didn't Dick. I know. It wasn't your fault." Tim whispered into his brother's shoulder. Even though he knew Dick couldn't understand him, he still needed to say it. And he would continue to after they told Dick they knew the truth. He would say it as long as it took for Dick to believe it.

* * *

**Dick**

The day had started off...odd to say the least.

The first thing he was aware of was waking up on the floor. That itself was not unusual. During one of his episodes, moving about the mansion while he was still under was all too common. What _was_ odd was waking to find his little brother wrapped around him, still asleep. Dick was sure Tim would continue to go out of his way to avoid Dick just as he had been doing since their fight. And after Dick had hurt him, he was certainly in no rush to put himself in that position again.

And so Dick actually attempted to get up and move about without disturbing his brother's sleep, which proved to be fruitless. Tim woke up with his very first movement. He was drowsy at first but after Dick brought him downstairs and made him his mandatory cup of coffee Tim came back to life. After smiling and poking fun at Tim's obvious addiction, Dick got to work making them breakfast. Alfred was still asleep as it was still fairly early, and Bruce was either still on patrol, in bed, or at a meeting. He had been doing that a lot lately.

Dick's relationship with Bruce had become somewhat...strained. Bruce had insisted on never leaving Dick's side in the beginning. At first, Dick was grateful for the constant contact after being left to fend for himself for so long. But over time he could see what it was doing to Bruce. His guardian was barely sleeping in order to juggle Wayne Enterprises, helping the young Talons they found, investigating the Court, helping Dick, and doing normal patrol as the Dark Knight. Eventually something had to give. And Dick was completely in awe of the fact that it had been Batman.

He hadn't found out from Bruce. He had found out from a particularly panicked headline that read 'Where has Batman gone?'. As it turned out, Bruce had not been going out as Batman for over a month. Dick also took note of the fact that it was around one month ago that Bruce had been spending more time with him. That alone had caused Dick to feel warm inside. He often wondered if Batman had mattered more to Bruce than he did. Now he knew that given the choice, Bruce had chosen his son over his persona.

But another part of Dick could not accept it. Gotham needed Batman more than Richard Grayson needed Bruce Wayne. Besides, he didn't deserve Bruce or anyone else. Not after what he did. He lied outright and told Bruce he was feeling smothered and would appreciate some more space. And while Batman was the World's Greatest Detective, Bruce was rather clueless when it came to his children. He bought it and before long, Batman was taking off into the night once again.

Tim was different. They had been rather distant after Dick attacked him during one of his episodes. At Dick's insistence that is. Their fight was the first real conversation they had in some time. Which was why Dick wanted this small interaction to go well. He owed it to Tim after striking him.

But he noticed something strange in the way Tim looked at him. It was something caught between guarded vigilance, as though Dick might turn into a threat at any given second, and unrestrained distress, as though Dick would turn into porcelain and shatter if Tim wasn't there with him. What had brought that on? Perhaps the fact that Dick have been violent with him?

They ended up eating breakfast with some awkward small talk passing between them. Sooner or later Tim worked up the nerve to ask Dick to meet with the Team. That had caused Dick to look up from his cereal for the first time since they started. Before he could protest, Tim assured him that it would be Tim Drake and Richard Grayson meeting their friends, not Robin and Nightwing meeting their Team.

With a pleading puppy-dog look that Dick could never refuse, he relented and got dressed. That was how they were got where they were now. Standing in front of the Team, who were all giving Dick that same look like they didn't know whether to be afraid of him or give him a hug and tell him it would all be okay.

Dick's cork finally popped when he saw those looks. "Okay, what's going on?! Why are you all staring at me like I just killed a puppy?" He had meant it as a sarcastic remark, but would be mortified if he had known just how close to the truth that was.

"Dick." Conner started as he pulled a chair at the League's meeting table for him. "You might want to sit down for this."

"Not until you tell me what is going on." Dick responded, folding his arms across his chest.

"We just really think you're gonna want to sit down." Wally said, practically vibrating in his seat with anxiety.

Dick rolled his eyes. "Look, I get that you're all worried about me and I appreciate that, but I'm a big boy. Whatever you want to talk to me about, I can take it."

The entire Team looked away awkwardly, as though they knew for a fact he was wrong and he wouldn't be able to handle the knowledge they were about to drop on him. None of them wanted to be right. But nevertheless they were dead on.

"Dick..." Kaldur began, his voice hesitant. They all knew just how much this knowledge would impact Dick, and once it was out there was no turning back. But it had to be said if they were ever going to work through it. After a deep breath, Kaldur forced himself to finish. "We know. We know about what happened in the Court. We know about Tony Zucco."

Dick didn't seem to react at first. At least, not externally. Inside he had gone completely cold.

.

.

.

.

.

Sooner or later his brain caught up to what Kaldur said, though he wanted with all his being to believe he had misheard the Atlantean. They _knew_?! How could they know?! There was no way they got Cobb to cooperate! This wasn't happening! They couldn't know! Not now!

That's when his breathing became erratic. Despite the fact that he was breathing rapidly air refused to find its' way to his lungs. His knees began to feel weak and suddenly the whole room was spinning. He barely managed to brace himself as he fell over, landing on his hands rather than falling face first into the ground. Some of his friends were rushing to his side and saying something, but he couldn't even hear them over the sound of his own heart racing.

Nonononononononono. This couldn't be happening. Not now! He had been torturing himself over what to say and what to do in case anyone found out what he did, but not like this! Not this soon! He wasn't prepared for this!

Dick felt bile rise up in his throat, which forced him to stop breathing so rapidly in an attempt to keep it down. But it was in vain. He threw his head forward as he retched up what little sustenance Alfred had convinced him to eat. That's when his eyes became wet. His rapid breathing started up again, but this time it was in strangled sobbing.

He always knew this was coming. He knew he would be confronted by his deeds, and he knew that when it came he wouldn't be able to handle it. But to actually have it happen was tearing him apart in a way he could not have foreseen.

Oh God, did _Bruce_ know too? That would completely destroy him. If he reacted this way to his friends finding out, he'd absolutely _die_ if Bruce did.

Finally, someone's voice pierced the fog clouding his mind. "Dick it's okay! Calm down! It's okay!"

Dick followed the order as best he could and took in one large breath, finally managing to get some oxygen into his lungs. He continued to breathe deeply, though his crying didn't stop. He felt weak all of a sudden and crashed into the person kneeling down next to him. He sighed in relief to find it was Wally as a freckled hand reached up to brush the dark locks out of his eyes.

"It's okay Dickie." Wally cooed as he continued to soothe his friend. "It's all going to be okay."

 _'No.'_ Dick thought to himself miserably. _'It'll never be okay again.'_

* * *

They managed to find their way to another room where they could sit down together. No one commented on the fact that it was to avoid the mess Dick had made in the other room. There was time to clean it later.

The lounge in the Watchtower had some simple couches and a table in the center. It wasn't anything too special. The Watchtower had always been a place of work, not socialization.

Most of the Team were on the larger couches, while Dick had curled up tightly a singular cushioned chair in front of them. Tim had taken a spot on a love seat next to Dick, while Barbara went to get something to calm the acrobat down. She returned minutes later with a blanket that she placed gently around his shoulders. Dick didn't respond at all as she did so, or when she took a spot on the love seat next to Tim.

They all just sat there for some time. No one was sure how to start. It was clear from his reaction that Dick was completely ashamed of what he had been forced to do, and them knowing it most definitely did not help. Some had to wonder if they had made things worse by doing this behind his back.

"How..." Dick began softly, breaking the silence. No one expected him to go first. "How did you all find out?" He was still turned away and refused to look at them.

M'gann was the one to respond. Even though she was not actively reading his mind, shame and guilt were radiating off of him. It sent a pang of sadness through her. "They...there was security footage Dick. We saw it all happen."

That caused Dick's head to snap up and look towards them, owlish eyes wide with horror. "Yo-you _saw_ it?!"

That's when realization hit them all like a sack of bricks. They told Dick that they knew about what happened, but until now they had said nothing about actually _watching_ it take place. That was another thing to do entirely.

Dick, meanwhile began to panic again. He never wanted them to see him like that. He never wanted _anyone_ to see him like that. See him lose control and become what he had fought so hard against for so long.

"Please. You have to get rid of it." His eyes became wet again as he pleaded with them, and his voice became choked up. "Please, you can't let anyone see it...You can't let Bruce...Oh God..." Dick whimpered out as he rested his forehead against his curled up legs.

Tim reached over and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Dick I'm so sorry. I'm the one who dug it up and I had no right to. I should've waited for you to tell us when you were ready."

 _'If you were ever ready.'_ Tim added silently.

Dick looked up to him with pleading eyes. "Please. Just don't let Bruce see it. I don't want him to see me like that. I'll never ask you for anything ever again, I swear. Just promise me he'll never see it."

Tim had never seen Dick so desperate before. He would have to tell Bruce about what happened eventually. But Dick was right. There was no need for him to actually _see_ the tape. It would be better to hear it from one of his sons.

"I promise Dick."

* * *

**Bruce**

(Meanwhile)

It had been days since Bruce Wayne had last seen his sons. He had to leave for an emergency meeting in Central and hadn't been back all week. He did get some small peace of mind on his trip though. He had gotten to see the facility they set up their for the youthful Talons, and it looked promising. There were those that were secluded and not speaking yet, but many others were playing and laughing like normal children. It had been nice. If only Dick were that easy to cure.

He sighed at the thought of his eldest. When Dick had asked for space he understood and backed off, but never would have if he had guessed the long term results. From that point forward whenever he tried to spend the least bit of time with Dick, he would make some excuse or accuse Bruce of smothering him again. They had barely had a conversation since then. Bruce was tempted to barge into his room and demand an explanation, but Dick had been through enough these last few months.

Then there was Tim. His protege may not have said it aloud, but he knew he resented Bruce. And Bruce couldn't blame him. Since Dick clearly didn't want him around, he had thrown himself into his work, both as a businessman and Batman. And somewhere along the line, Tim had been forgotten. Robin had all but stopped talking to him except during patrol, which was only for confirmation of orders and such.

Just like that, in the span of a few weeks, he had broken down bonds that he had spent years building.

He wanted to repair his relationship with his sons, but had no idea where to begin. Dick still refused to speak to him, and Tim was too invested in trying to help his brother to take time out for his father.

Until he figured out a way to make it work, he would take out his frustrations on the criminals of Gotham. In fact, that's what he was coming in from now. The Batcave was empty, as it usually was nowadays. Bruce went straight for the Batcomputer to change Two-Face's status to 'captured' for how ever long that may apply. Seriously, he had to talk to Gordon about getting some better security for Arkham.

When the screen lit up though, Bruce saw something akin to an alert pop up. Tim must have downloaded something to his gauntlet recently. Little did the Boy Wonder know that Bruce had a software that automatically sent anything he downloaded to the main computer.

It was odd though. He hadn't recently sent Tim on anything that would require him to utilize his hacking abilities. Curious, Bruce closed the alert and pulled up the file that was sent to him.

It was a video file...

* * *

**Dick**

No one spoke for a while after Dick begged his little brother not to let Bruce know what happened. He may have agreed out loud, but they knew it was just for show. Batman would have to know eventually.

Dick, meanwhile, was curled tightly into a ball in his chair. His legs were pulled up to his chest and his head was resting on his knees. Even though he was clearly fighting to stay still, the acrobats' thin frame was shaking violently. It seemed as though he was trying to hide, or just disappear altogether. Shame and fear radiated off him in waves. Wally felt a burning hatred rise inside himself when he realized that had been the Court's plan all along.

They had been too smart to think they could break Dick or sway him to their side through torture. People far stronger than they had tried and failed. That's why they had Dick kill Zucco. It was not because the Court wanted Zucco or the others dead, but because they wanted Dick to feel like there was nothing left for him but the Court. They wanted him to feel like he could no longer be the hero. They wanted him be to forever alone.

"Dick?" Wally tried.

There was no response. Nothing to indicate he even heard the redhead.

Wally's face fell as he tried again. "Please Dick? Can you please just look at us?"

That was the one thing that Dick couldn't bring himself to do. He couldn't bring himself to look at that room full of heroes. He may have been one of them once, but he was now the furthest thing from.

There was one simple unspoken rule that existed within the Justice League. That existed within the hearts and minds of all heroes everywhere. No matter how bad things got, you never take a human life.

It was as if there was a chasm between those who followed this rule and those that did not. On one end sat the Justice League and all other heroes of the world. On the other end stood Vandal Savage, Ra's Al Ghul, and their ilk. Both sides may have fought for some manner of order in the world, but their methods are what set them apart.

Dick had spent his entire life on the right end of that chasm. He had never even considered crossing that line an option before. But in that Labyrinth, something had just snapped. And in an instant...in a millisecond, he had been thrown to the other side of that great divide. And no matter how much he wished in wasn't true there was absolutely no way to cross back over.

He couldn't bring himself to look at that room full of heroes, because it was a clear reminder of what he had lost, and what he was now.

He thought that maybe he could just pretend it never happened. That he could go home and be done with it. But the ghosts of the people he had killed haunted his dreams. They demanded to know why they should die while their murderer was alive and well, surrounded by people that loved him.

Dick began to push his friends and family away as a sort of penance, but it did no good. It didn't matter how miserable he made himself. It didn't matter that he wished to God that he could take it all back.

He was _alive._ That was more than those people would ever be.

Tim and the other may have known this secret, but they would never know the second.

They would never know that one night, after a particularly fearsome night terror, that he had tried to do the one thing that would ever earn him some semblance of redemption. He had gone into the bathroom that night with tears still fresh in his eyes and pulled out a blade from his razor. He didn't make a sound even as he dragged it up the length of each arm and laid down in the bathtub, hoping that soon it would be over and he could be redeemed, and if he was lucky, see his parents.

But then reality came back and hit him like a brick wall. Just as quickly as the cuts were made they sealed back up. Dick tried again and again, but it did no good. He got so desperate that he actually left the blades in his arms and tried to will the wounds to stay open. But the electrum simply pushed the blades out itself and left him to sob on the floor as he realized he would have to live with what he did forever. Dick's eyes began to get wet again as he went over that night in his mind.

But the sheer internal agony he had felt then was nothing compared to what he was going through now. They all knew what he did. They knew what he was. Cobb had been right. There was no going back. Now they would probably throw him in prison like the sick, disgusting _monster_ he was.

"Dick." Barbara said as she attempted to scoot closer to him. "Please. You have to know that what happened there was not your fault. You must know that."

That caused Dick took look up at her in sheer shock. Had his ears deceived him? She...she didn't think it was his fault? Was that right? Maybe...

No! Dick violently shook his head back and forth and tightly squeezed his eyes shut. "Those people are _dead_! That's my fault!" He whispered miserably.

"No it's not." M'gann assured him. "We all saw what happened. If it weren't for you the Court would have done much worse."

Dick shook his head. That was an excuse. It was one that he tried to use in the past but it didn't matter. His intentions didn't undo the act. "Y-you d-d-don't understand. You don't understand."

Dick was openly crying now as he repeated the phrase over and over under his breath like a mantra.

Wally sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You're right. We don't understand. That's why we called in someone who might be able to." He said as he turned in his seat to face the closed door they came in from. "You can come in now."

Dick heard the door hiss open and then the soft footsteps of someone entering the room. He didn't bother looking up. They were wrong. It didn't matter who they had called in. No one could ever understand what he had gone thro...

What he had done. The distinction was important to Dick. The same way he had become furious when Zucco tried to play the victim, he refused to grant himself that courtesy either. He was a murderer. A freak. A monster. Nothing excused what he had done. And nobody could-

"Hey Dick."

Dick's head snapped up at the newcomers voice. He turned to face them, but he already knew who it was. He would know that voice anywhere.

"Roy."

* * *

**Tim**

The was a small bout of silence in the room after Roy came in. Eventually the redheaded archer turned to them with his lips cast downwards in a small frown. "Could we have the room?"

Tim was hesitant at first. He wanted to be here for Dick, to reassure him that it would be okay and that what happened was not his fault. Leaving his brother did not sit well with him, but the logical side of his brain told him that this was the right call. Roy had known Dick far longer than he. In fact, Roy, Wally, and Babs (seriously, what was Dick's thing with redheads?) probably knew the acrobat better than Bruce did. And considering Babs and Wally were already getting up to comply with the archer's request, he had no choice but to trust Roy's judgement.

Gradually everyone got up and walked outside the room, leaving the two long time friends be as the door shut behind them. Even though he had already resolved that this was for the best, Tim blurted out his concerns as soon as the door closed and they were out of earshot. "I don't like this. I want to be there for him."

Barbara sent the Boy Wonder a knowing look as she walked over and knelt down to put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Timmy. If anyone can help get Dick through this, it's Roy."

Tim nodded, but remained unconvinced. Before they could discuss his concerns any further, a sharp tone sounded through his comm that made him flinch. After regaining some composure, Tim pressed a finger to his comm to answer the incoming call. "Batman, what's-"

 _"Get to the cave now. I'm not asking."_ His mentor's gruff voice ordered before the line went dead.

Well _that_ was concerning. Bruce may not have been the most social person on Earth, but he was usually not that curt with his proteges unless they did something to violate his sacred 'bat-rules'. The only other time he had been on the receiving end of such a tone was over a year ago, when he had ignored his mentor's medical advice and went into the field with a fever. And to Tim's knowledge, he hadn't done anything of the sort in recent days. It must have been some other manner of emergency.

"I have to go. Batman just called me back to the cave. He sounds pretty urgent." The Team, all to familiar with Batman's 'my way or the high way' approach to parenting nodded and wished him luck as he made for the Zeta tubes.

Moments later he was back in Gotham, in the cave. He could see the light from the Batcomputer lit up, meaning that's probably where Bruce was. He made his way over to the computer but became worried when he heard blood-curdling screams coming from it. There was a heavy amount of static attached to the sound meaning it was probably a video. Still, it set him on edge.

"Bruce, what-" Tim stopped mid-sentence as he came into full-view of the computer. His breath was caught in his throat, and his heart sank.

Right there on the screen, playing right in front of Bruce, was the video of Dick killing Zucco.

Oh God. How had Bruce found out? He had been so careful through all of it. He even took care to erase the footage after the Team saw it. This shouldn't be possible.

Bruce, none the wiser to his son's turmoil, paused the video and spun around in his chair to face him. Tim let out a sigh of mild relief when the video stopped playing. He had already endured watching it twice. He wasn't sure his heart could handle a third time. That relief was crushed as his gaze met Bruce's. The lenses of his cowl were narrowed into silts.

"You kept this from me." It clearly wasn't a question. And it wasn't wrong either. He knew what he was doing by keeping this from Bruce, and he knew his surrogate father would react like this once the truth came out. Tim just wasn't expecting it to be so soon.

"I'm sorry Bruce." He muttered under his breath. Excuses wouldn't cut it in this situation, but he needed Bruce to understand _why_ he had done it. "I just wanted to help Dick."

"You just wanted to help him cover up what he did." He countered. Again, Tim flinched under the accusatory tone his guardian had taken, but he stood his ground all the same.

"No. That's not-" Before he finished, the full implications of Bruce's words hit him like a freight train. 'What he did'? As though what happened was Dick's fault?

Tim looked back up to Bruce and returned his glare in full. NO! Absolutely not! "Don't you **_dare_**!" He said slowly. "Don't you fucking _**dare**_ try to say this was his fault!" This marked the first time Tim had ever cursed at Bruce, but if the older hero was truly planning on holding Dick responsible for what happened, it wouldn't be the last.

Bruce's expression didn't change in the least under Robin's glare. "When you became Robin, you and I made a pact. We would ensure justice in Gotham, but we do _not_ kill." His voice came out like he was reading from a drilling manual. Like it was something ingrained into his very being. And Tim knew that could very well be the case for Bruce. "That pact wasn't unique to the two of us. I had Jason and Dick make the same vow. Dick violated that vow, and he _will_ be held responsible."

Tim's head was spinning as he tried to grasp Bruce's words. He knew for a very long time that the mission would always come first for Bruce. Before friends, before family. But this was different. It was _Dick_!

"You can't be serious!" Tim screamed at the top of his lungs. For the first time in his life he was hoping that Alfred would overhear their fight. Maybe the older man would be able to knock some sense into Bruce. "Did you even bother to see what the Court put him through?!"

"Even with a temporary insanity plea, there are consequences to taking a civilian life."

Tim growled and ran a hand through his hair. Jesus! It was like trying to win a debate with a freaking stone wall! How the hell did Dick ever...

His thoughts came to a sudden halt as one of the words that Bruce used clicked inside of his brain. Insanity. There was no denying that Dick hadn't been in his right mind when he killed Zucco, but insanity? It didn't seem like much on the surface, but to Tim it made all the difference in the world. Dick wasn't insane. Insane was a term they reserved for the Joker, or Harely Quinn, or any number of people locked up in-

Again Tim's mussing came to a grinding halt as he fully understood what Bruce intended to do.

"No." He said, his voice coming out as little more than a whisper as he was still reeling from realization. "No! Absolutely not Bruce! You are not going to send Dick to Arkham Asylum!"

Surely his guardian knew better than that. Tim often times question why they bothered to send _anyone_ to Arkham. And those were cold blooded killers. This was Dick they were talking about! Madness wasn't cured in the walls of Arkham Asylum. It was _born_ there. Tim cringed away at the thought of Dick by himself in the corner of a cell somewhere, afraid they had abandoned him. If that happened any hope of helping Dick would be lost forever.

"What else would you have me do?!" Bruce howled in response, getting equally frustrated with Tim as Tim was with him. "Dick killed a man in cold blood with no remorse! More than that, he tried to cover it up! He needs to be held accountable!"

Tim stayed in stunned silence. And it was not only because of the fact that the ever-calm Batman had just yelled at him. It was more over the inaccuracy of his statement. No remorse? Dick suffered a freaking mental breakdown after he realized what happened! How could Bruce possibly be so blind?!

Tim looked up at the film so that he could point to it as a way of proving his point when he remembered that it was still paused. More than that, it was paused on the moments after Dick had killed Zucco, when he was laughing on the ground.

And just like that everything made sense. Bruce hadn't seen the rest of the footage. He didn't realize that while that night may have killed Zucco, it _destroyed_ Dick. It also meant that Bruce probably hadn't seen the other people that Dick had killed out of mercy so that the Court wouldn't torture them. No wonder Bruce had no qualms about sending Dick off to the nuthouse! That moment in the tape made everyone pause for at least a moment.

"Oh my God." Tim said, mind still reeling. "Bruce, you don't understand. If you would just watch the rest of it-"

"I've seen enough Tim." The finality of Bruce's voice was like iron. "We're done talking about this. We'll discuss your punishment for keeping this from me later."

"Bruce please!" Tim pleaded. "You have to see the rest. Dick regrets what he did!"

"And I suppose he told you how much he regretted it only after you confronted him with this, correct?"

"You're making sound like he's some psycho who did this for kicks!" Tim yelled. His throat was beginning to hurt from the sheer amount of screaming he'd been doing but he pushed past it. "He's not some lunatic that needs to be locked up before he kills again! He's your son!"

Meanwhile, Bruce was having his own inner turmoil over this choice. Consciously, he knew Tim was right to some extent. Dick was no heartless killer, and something like this never would have happened if it weren't for the Court taking him. But it was more accurate to say the Dick _he knew_ was no heartless killer. And the Dick he knew was a far cry from the Dick that currently was. It had been obvious from the start that something had changed in Dick during his time with the Court, and now he knew what that something was.

This was easily the hardest decision he'd ever made before, but nothing would ever change what happened. What Dick did. Bruce had seen the footage. Dick had outright refused to kill the captive, up until he realized the captive was Zucco. He clearly knew the difference between right and wrong in that moment. And the sheer _brutality_ with which he killed the man...

Bruce had seen some awful things in his days as Batman, but even the Joker's killings did not stand up to what Dick had done. And then to laugh over it...

Bruce wished to God that it didn't have to be this way. But Dick was a changed man now. And he required more help than he or the League could give him.

Maybe Arkham would do the trick...

* * *

**Roy**

After everyone left the room, Roy pulled up a chair and sat down in it so that he was right in front of Dick. The former Boy Wonder still had his head buried in his knees, which came as no surprise. After the Team called him in and explained the situation, he knew this was going to be an uphill battle. But he was no stranger to walking alone in the darkness, and feeling like there was no escape. Which incidentally is what made him the perfect man for this. Wally and Dick had tried so hard over the years to get him back into the fold and get cleaned up, but the thoughts of the original Roy Harper consumed him.

He wouldn't let Dick suffer like he had.

Dick on the other hand, was in his own world at the moment. He was completely unsure of what to make of the situation. Speaking to Roy weeks prior when Tim invited him over had been easy. He neither had to lie to Roy during the invasion, nor did he have to attack him to protect his cover as a Talon. He had felt so comfortable by using Roy as a distraction from what happened. But now things had changed. There was no more running away from his deeds. They were no longer behind him, but directly in his path. And everyone knew. In lieu of convincing Wally to turn back time for him, or maybe inventing something to wipe their memories of that tape, there was nothing he could do to escape this confrontation.

They still sat there in silence for several minutes without a single word passing between them. Roy wanted Dick to make the first move. That would give him a read on how bad the situation really was. His patience did not go unrewarded. Sooner or later, Dick raised his head, eyes puffy from how much he had been crying, and looked at Roy. "Did...did you watch the tape?" He asked timidly.

Roy looked at him for a moment, deciding how he should answer. Eventually he chose to go for honesty and nodded slowly, which caused Dick to retreat behind his legs again.

Roy let out a heavy sigh. Perhaps he should have taken the Teams' advice and abstained from watching it, but he thought at the time that seeing what happened firsthand would give him a better read on it. There was also the unspoken fact that a small part of him didn't believe that Dick had killed someone. Looking back, he wished he could just scream at himself 'Don't watch it you idiot!'. It would be a stain on his mind's eye for sometime.

"How can I ever face Bruce again?" Dick's voice broke through the ominous silence of the room, his tone distorted from choked sobs and unshed tears. "He's going to find out. He _always_ finds out. He's _Batman_."

Roy could have guessed that Bruce was the source of Dick's fear. It was understandable. For many of the former sidekicks, their mentors were like their parents. In Dick's case, it was far more than that. Bruce gave him a home when he had nothing. When he felt like he was alone, Bruce gave him a family. When he had no hope, Bruce gave him Robin. And Dick was terrified of rejection by the man who had done all that for him.

"What are you afraid Bruce will do when he finds out?" Roy asked in as calm a voice as he could muster.

Dick still didn't look up as he answered in a shaky voice. "I'm afraid he's going to freeze me. Just like Cobb." He said as more tears leaked from his eyes. "That was the most terrifying thing about being with the Court. They would leave me in there for days. Weeks sometimes. And sometimes to punish me they would give me a drug that kept me awake. I could see and hear everything around me and I could feel every second pass, but I couldn't move a muscle. It's like being buried alive."

Dick had no idea why he was sharing all this. In his entire time since he got back from the Court he never once opened up like this to anyone. Maybe now that the largest secret was out the floodgates were opening.

Roy shook his head and placed a hand on Dick's shoulder. "You know he would never do that." At least that's what Roy hoped. He had to admit that Batman could be unpredictable in terms of how far he would go to uphold his morals.

"Maybe he should." Dick said as he looked up at Roy again. "I'm a murderer. And I wanted so desperately to believe I could be a hero and maybe then I'd redeem myself for what I did. But Tim was right. I wasn't helping people, or giving them hope. I was _terrifying_ them. _Hurting_ them. No matter what I do from now on, I'll never be a hero again. And even if I could, nothing will ever undo what I did."

Roy nodded along as Dick went on, not wanting to interrupt. It was only after he was satisfied that Dick was done that he spoke. "You blame yourself for a lot, don't you?"

"I blame myself for what I did. You saw the footage."

Roy nodded. "Yeah. I saw you do something you never should have had to do. I saw you kill people rather than see them suffer. That is a horrible burden Dick, but that doesn't mean it was the wrong thing. What do you think would have happened to them if you didn't kill them?"

Dick looked away. "The Court would have tortured them. I know. I told myself that a lot in the beginning. But I then went to see some of those families after I got out. I saw a little girl that _I_ orphaned cry at her mother's grave. I saw a woman _I_ widowed have a complete emotional breakdown as they lowered her husband into the ground. I saw the families _I_ tore apart Roy." Dick finally turned back to met the redhead's gaze. "Don't ever tell me I did the right thing Roy. Not after that."

Roy nodded. He still knew that what Dick did was in no way wrong, but the problem was convincing Dick of that. But before he spoke, it occurred to Roy just how young Dick really was. Sure he was 19, and the original Boy Wonder was always old for his age, but in only 19 years Dick had already seen more than most people should have to in an entire lifetime. He had seen his parents murdered, been kidnapped countless times as Bruce Wayne's ward, seen civilians die by the hundreds, that God awful night with Tarantula... (1)

Roy shook his head at the thought to clear himself. After everything that had happened to him, Dick still took everything with a grain of salt and moved on. But accepting the things that happened to him was a far cry from accepting the things he himself had been forced to do. Perhaps he could put those horrible deeds in a new light though.

"Let me ask you this. If you hadn't killed them, and the Court tortured them in all the ways they did to you and then they all died anyway, would you be able to forgive yourself for letting that happen when you could have done something about it?"

Dick didn't answer. Not at first anyway. He kept a very thoughtful look on his face for several minutes before responding with a shake of his head.

Roy let out a sigh of relief before continuing. "I know what you had to do was awful, and I wish there was some way you could have worked around it. But you _did_ do the right thing Dick."

"Okay." Dick said softly. Roy knew that he didn't entirely believe it, but he was hopeful that they could build off of this.

"Okay." The acrobat repeated keeping his gaze locked on his knees. Another long silence passed between the two before Dick spoke again. "What about Zucco?"

Roy raised a ginger brow. "What about him?"

"I didn't kill him to spare him from suffering. In fact...I'm pretty sure I made him hurt worse than the _Court_ would have. And I...I..." Dick was starting to get choked up again as he tried to explain.

"You what Dick?"

"I enjoyed it!" He suddenly burst out. In the back of his mind it occurred to Roy that the Team probably heard that outburst through the door, but he was too stunned by Dick's words to press on it. "I hated him so much! I didn't just want to kill him! I wanted to make him _suffer_! And I was _thrilled_ to do it! I loved every second! And that wasn't the Court, that was me! Don't you get it! It doesn't matter that I'm a Talon, or that they tortured me! I did that all on my own! I'm a monster!"

Dick had tears spilling from his eyes the entire time he was talking, and once he was done he completely broke down, wrapping his arms tighter around his knees and burying his face behind his legs. Once again shame overwhelmed him and he could no longer bring himself to look at Roy. Roy was like the rest of them. Roy never would have done what he did. Roy was a hero.

As soon as Dick's breakdown started, Red Arrow wrapped his arms around the younger boy as he cried his heart out. He didn't say anything, only allow the boy to let it out. Once his crying stopped (or at least, decreased significantly) Roy spoke again.

"You kept saying 'wanted'." The archer noted, keeping Dick in his arms. "You 'wanted' to kill him. You 'were' glad to. Past tense. Does that mean you're not glad anymore?"

"What difference does that make?" Dick asked, actually a bit curious on where Roy was taking this.

"It makes all the difference in the world." Roy said as he sat back down in his own chair. "You were relentlessly tormented physically and mentally for months without reprieve Dick. You were nearly drowned _minutes_ before what happened with Zucco. And after all that, they threw the man you hated most in the world in front of you. You don't think that diminished you capacity to control yourself? And only now, after you've had the appropriate time to recover from all of that do you regret it."

"I never said I regret it." Dick countered without missing a beat.

Roy looked at him thoughtfully. "When you think back on happened, how do you feel?"

Dick paused. How _did_ he feel? He knew of course, but he had never quite found the proper word for it. Guilty, ashamed, _disgusted, repulsed, violated._

"Terrible." He decided on being vague.

"Would you do it again?"

Dick shook his head violently. Never! In all his years of tragedy and suffering, that moment was easily the worst of his life. That included the loss of his family and Jason both. He never wanted to go through it again.

"And if you could, would you go back and change it?"

He nodded feverishly. God he wanted to undo it. He wanted to wipe that stain off his soul. But there was no way to undo it. No way to erase his mistake. He had to live with it for the rest of his life. And the fact that he could no longer die spoke volumes about how long he would hold onto that guilt. The thought brought more tears to his eyes as Roy asked his last question.

"Dick...do you regret killing Zucco?"

" _Yes._ " Dick wept out as he did his best to wipe the tears from his eyes.

Roy allowed himself a small smile. "I know monsters Dick. I've met them. You have too. And they don't regret it when they kill someone. Not for a moment. You're not a monster."

"But I...Batman would have..." Dick tried, but he was so choked up that his responses kept getting stuck in his throat.

Roy looked at Dick with sad eyes now. "Please don't do this to yourself." He pleaded. "What would you do if it were someone else the Court took? Someone else who did those things? You would be the first to defend them. You're always are so willing to sacrifice everything to save others, but you won't lift a finger to save yourself."

Dick shook his head and cleared his throat as best he could. "You think I don't know that? I'm not stupid Roy. Yeah, if this happened to someone else, I would try my best to tell them it wasn't their fault. I'd have no doubt about it. But it's different when it happens to you. It's so easy to look at it from the outside and say it was right or wrong. You can't imagine what it's like to know that people are _dead_ because of you, and you alone."

Roy let out a long sigh. Some part of him had been praying that it wouldn't come to this. But now he had no choice. And if this was the only way to help Dick, it was a price he was more than willing to pay.

Slowly, he got up from his seated position and walked around to the other side of the chair he had been sitting on and gripped the back. "There's a reason I asked the Team to leave you know." He said as he looked back up at Dick. "This can't leave the room. Only two other people know about it."

Dick gave him a curious look and tilted his head. "Know about what?"

Roy let out another long breath, just to procrastinate having to say it out loud. But eventually, he mustered up the strength to look at Dick and say what needed to be said.

"I've killed."

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Dick sat their as still as a statue, not fully able to comprehend the words he just heard. His brain was working in slow motion. It took him nearly ten minutes of sitting their to even understand what had just been uttered.

Roy _killed_ someone? He hardly meant it as a judgement. He was in no place to judge anyone. But it came as a shock no less. Roy? A killer? Sure, he had a horrible temper, and was easily defined as the League's problem child, but murder? That made no sense whatsoever. There had to be an explanation.

Seeing that Dick wanted him to go on, Roy reluctantly did so. "It was two years ago, about a month after I left you guys. I was working a case with some dealers over in Star City. I found some micro-connection between one of them and a Cadmus employee and was hoping to get a lead on the original Roy. There weren't very many of them. The whole thing was over before it started. I knocked out all but one of them. The one I wanted to talk to I left awake. I started in on Cadmus but he had no idea what I was talking about. He was just some punk kid, and like I said the, connection I had was hardly anything. The employee who worked there was his second cousin or something.

"I didn't believe him though. I was still guilt ridden and I was desperate to find Speedy. But that doesn't justify what I did next. I started beating him. Broke his fingers one-by-one, shattered his nose, split his lip. There was more than that, I'm sure, but those are the things I remember best. Sooner or later he went slack. At first I thought he was unconscious and I tried to wake him up, but then I noticed just how still he was. I checked for a pulse and got nothing. He was gone. I was so mad I guess I didn't even realize just how much blood there was until it was too late. It completely soaked through my uniform, and it was flowing like a river down the alley. Turns out he had some rare form of hemophilia. Couldn't clot to save his life.

"I was so freaked out that I went to a hideout nearby and just sat there for hours on end trying to figure out what the hell happened. Sooner or later I guess I realized what I did and I kinda fell apart. And then I got stupid. I always keep a stash of all the major drugs at my hideouts. They make for pretty good bribes to certain people. But that was the first night I took any myself..."

That made Dick's heart sink. He and the others had known about Roy's heroin use for sometime. But Dick never could have imagined something like this as the initial cause.

"I spent days on end in there, trying to use the drugs to keep myself numb. Take away the pain. Take away what I did and what I was now. At the time that was all I had planned for the foreseeable future. But then I turned on the TV and saw the news coverage about the kid I killed. Turns out he was dealing on the side to help his little sister. She had some pretty bad health problems. He poured so much money into treating her that he didn't even have enough left for his own meds for his hemophilia. I saw his sister on there too. She was crying, talking about how he was all she had left after their parents died, and she had no idea what she was going to do now.

"That's when I decided I was going to turn myself in. But there was something I had to do first. I had to go home. Not some other hideout. My _real_ home. I had to see Jade one last time. I had to say goodbye.

"When I got there, Ollie was there too. She got worried when I didn't show up and called him. By the time I got there, I looked like complete shit. I don't remember what happened at first. I was still pretty high. When I came too though, Jade and Ollie were there and they demanded to know what I had been thinking. I just broke down and told them everything, and told them I was going to turn myself in. They talked me out of it though. I won't bore you with the details of how they helped me through it or convinced me not to go through with it. But Jade stayed in the house with me for two weeks. That is to date the longest she ever went without taking a job. And I'm the one that screwed it up. Not long after another lead popped up and I was out the door.

"You know most of what happened in the interim. I got clean, and I'm doing better. I send that kid's sister money every month through a shell account. But to this day I'm haunted by that kid. I see him everywhere I go. I can't imagine what the Court of Owls put you through Dick, but I do know what it's like to take someone's life. We may be heroes but that doesn't mean we're angels."

Dick stared at Roy disbelievingly for a long while. He couldn't fully comprehend what he had just been told. One of his best friends had killed someone as well. Perhaps this was not unlike what the Team felt when they saw his tape. He felt the temptation to tell Roy that what happened was not his fault, but he knew that statement would reek of hypocrisy.

"Roy...I..." He started and stopped. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything then. Just listen." Roy said, still not done. "I spent a very long time wondering how I could ever forgive myself for what I did. How I could make it right. But then I realized I already had. I did the math a long time ago. Those two weeks Jade and I spent together...that's when she got pregnant with Lian."

Dick still had a hard time believing that Roy had a kid. With Artemis' sister no less. The daughter of Red Arrow and Cheshire. Granddaughter to Sportsmaster and Huntress. If that kid grew up to follow in her parent's footsteps then it would be game over for the Light. Dick felt his lip twitch upwards the smallest bit at the thought, but still didn't understand where Roy was going with all this. "What does-"

Reading his friend's expression and taking an educated guess on what he was wondering, Roy cut him off. "Having Lian is the only thing I've done in my life that I can say without hesitation is good. And if I had turned myself in, she wouldn't have been born. Do you get it now? If you let what happened control your life, then you're shutting the door on all the good you have left to do."

Dick scoffed at that and turned away again. If nothing else he had to admit that knowing Roy had gone through something similar made him feel less on edge about talking to him. "What 'good'? I'm not Nightwing anymore. I'm not sure I ever can be. And Tim is going to fight tooth and nail to make sure that I never put on the Talon uniform again. So if I'm not Nightwing and I'm not Talon, then who the hell am I?"

Roy smiled softly at his friend. "That should be obvious. You're Dick Grayson."

Dick let himself fall silent as he let the clone's words sink in. That's true. He was still Dick Grayson. The only question was, who the hell was that? He had always regarded his civilian persona the same way that Bruce regarded his playboy persona, to a lesser degree. While Bruce's public identity was a mask in it's own right, Richard had more or less been an amalgamation of his other personas. Robin's playful nature, Nightwing's devotion to those he cared about, and the free spirit of the last of Flying Graysons.

But when you stripped away Nightwing and Robin, who was left? He no longer had the heart to fly as he had. Didn't have the drive for justice that had burned so fiercely in him as a hero. So what was left to him?

Dick let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been keeping in. If he had no idea who he was, then there was only one option left.

He would have to find out...

Maybe he could be good again. Maybe there was a way. It happened for Roy. So maybe there was hope for him yet.

"You two okay?" A new voice said from the doorway. Dick turned in his chair to see Wally leaning again the door frame. He had been so caught up in his own head that he hadn't noticed the redhead's entry. "We heard some screaming before. Wanted to see if you two were good."

Roy answered for them. "We're fine."

Even though he said 'we', Wally still seemed to regard the answer as though Dick hadn't counted. He turned to the ebony-haired Talon with eyes narrowed in concern. "What about you Dick? You okay?"

Dick looked between his two long time friends. He also saw that the rest of the Team was shuffling awkwardly outside the room, not even trying to hide their attempts to peak in on the conversation. All of them had that same look on their face. The one that told Dick they were concerned for him. That each and everyone of them would do their best to make sure he would get better.

And it was in that moment he decided he would do his best not to let them down.

"Not yet." He answered honestly, a soft smile gracing his features for the first time in months. "But I will be."

* * *

**Dick**

(A few hours later)

Dick spent a few more hours with the Team after that. It was mostly comprised of their assurances that what took place wasn't his fault. Dick wasn't yet in a position to fully believe that, but he was hopeful that with time that would change. He had been disappointed to hear that Tim had been called back by Bruce though. If Bruce was in the manor then they would probably not get a chance to talk about what transpired. At least not tonight.

After mostly everyone was gone, it was Babs that confronted him on the fact that their half-assed intervention was the most they had seen of him since he got back, and that would be stopping then and there. She made it very clear that he would be spending time with his friends again if she had to tie him up and drag him out of the manor. He had to laugh at her hostile 'take no prisoners' approach to being a friend, but agreed with her regardless. If he had any intention of keeping true to his word and trying to get better, he had to stop hiding from the world. He had also reluctantly agreed to talk to Black Canary about what happened. He agreed only because she was a shrink and wouldn't be able to tell anyone if he said it to her in confidence.

After all the assurances and thinly veiled threats from Wally, Roy, and Babs were aired, he took his leave to head back to the manor. He wasn't surprised to find the cave empty. It was late, even for Batman. What had surprised him was coming into the living room to find Tim and Bruce there waiting for him.

He knew right away something was wrong. Bruce didn't look up at him even though he clearly knew that Dick had entered the room. He was sitting on a chair in front of the fireplace and was keeping a firm glare on his own folded hands. Tim was visibly shaking and kept his eyes flicking back and forth between the other two males in the room, and he was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. That's when Dick remembered that Tim got a message demanding that he come back to the cave immediately earlier that day. What could have happened in that time?

"Bruce?" He asked cautiously, keeping in mind that the last time he saw Bruce like this it was when his guardian informed him that Jason was dead. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Sit down Dick."

That was enough to cause Dick to start panicking. While the tone with which he spoke was all too common in Batman's voice, one almost never heard it from Bruce Wayne. Nervously, Dick did as he was told and sat down on the couch across from his father and brother. Dick felt like he was waiting for a firing squad to take aim as they sat in silence. He was both anxious to get it over with and terrified of the outcome, which is why he nearly jumped out of his seat when Bruce raised his head to stare at him, dark eyes narrowed in a scowl. Dick's already slow pulse came to a complete stop. He had seen that look on Bruce's face many times, but it had never been directed towards an ally before. That look was reserved for criminals. And once Bruce spoke, it was clear why that way.

Seven words. Seven simple words were all it took for the walls Dick had worked so hard to keep up to come crashing down around him.

"I know what you did to Zucco."

Dick felt like he was sinking into his chair. Like the entire world had dropped out beneath him.

No. Not Bruce. Of all the people to know what happened Bruce just _couldn't._ Dick suddenly felt like he might be sick again, but pushed it down. He was too terrified to do much else. He felt completely frozen in place between his own panic and the look that Bruce was giving him. One look and it was obvious. Not only did Bruce know, he also clearly did not share the Teams' understanding. Dick couldn't blame him. It was the exact reason that he never wanted Bruce to find out. From the moment he realized what he had done to Zucco, he had not been horrified as much by what he did as how Bruce would react to it. Bruce, who taught him from the age of nine to never take a human life. Bruce, who lived by a strict moral code that never allowed for exceptions. Bruce, who was now looking at Dick as though he were a threat.

Dick felt like his whole world was coming down around him. How was this possible? They had already made an agreement not to tell Bruce until Dick was ready, which quite frankly was never. "How-how did you find out?" He asked with a shaky voice.

Bruce's glare darkened, if that was possible. "That's all you have to say for yourself?" He demanded.

Dick felt himself cringe away from Bruce's tone. During his entire time with the Court, he had never been as terrified as he was in this moment. And why shouldn't he be? After all, Batman was the living nightmare of every thief, drug lord, and murderer in Gotham. And that's what he was now. Just another murderer.

"Bruce I told you, if you would just watch the rest of the footage-" Tim said shyly before Bruce cut him off.

"Stay out of this Tim. This is about _him._ " Bruce spat the last word as he pointed to Dick, not even able to use his name. Dick knew in that moment that he had become a stranger in the manor. He wasn't Bruce's son. Not his partner. Not even his ward. He was just...nothing.

But two things struck Dick about that statement. Tim had said the _rest_ of the tape. That meant...Oh please no! It meant that Bruce had seen the footage! Not only did he know what happened, he had now witnessed it with his own eyes. Dick wished he could just disappear then. Just vanish into thin air and never reappear.

Though Dick briefly took note of the fact that the way Tim phrased it made it sound like Bruce had only watched a portion of the tape, that was not the main focus of his mind. The observational skills he had been taught in childhood were on overdrive on the same question he had first asked Bruce. How did he find out? The only people that knew were him and the Team and-

Dick stopped mid-thought and turned to look at Tim, who still stared at his feet in what looked like shame. _Tim._ It had been _Tim!_

Suddenly the awe and desperation and tension he had been feeling gave way to something else far worse. A white, hot, _rage._ Tim told Bruce! He had betrayed him! He had broken his promise! Dick gripped the edge of the chair he was in so hard that it snapped, causing both vigilantes to turn their attention back towards him.

As soon as Tim's eyes met Dick's yellow ones, he jumped back in his seat. It wasn't due to the color. He had grown somewhat accustomed to them at that point. It was unrestrained fury that he had only seen once before on Dick's face. And it had been there on the tape right before...

Tim didn't bother to dwell on it further as his brother got up and lunged at him with his newfound speed. "YOU LYING LITTLE BASTARD!" Tim leapt up from his seat and made for the nearest exit, fear being the only thing that guided his actions at that point. He heard Dick snarl as he made to follow him, but it was the dull thud of a body slamming to the ground that caused him to turn around.

On top of Dick's struggling form was Bruce, who had already prepared a syringe of liquid nitrogen that he was currently injecting into the base of Dick's neck. Dick continued to growl like a tortured animal until Bruce injected him. That's when the anger subsided and fear set in once more. He wanted to scream but the injection was already rendering him immobile. He couldn't even breathe. His lungs were beginning to seal up. But as the cold worked its' way through his system, Dick's mind began to clear. And he suddenly became aware of what he had done. With the limited control he had over his eyes, Dick shifted them enough to see Tim out of the corner of his eye. And what he saw caused him to break just a little more inside. He knew that look. He saw it in the mirror daily. He had seen it in Zucco's face before being killed. It was fear. Tim was afraid of him.

And just like that, all the reassurances that his friends had given him slipped from reality. _This_ was reality now. He had nearly killed his own brother in a bout of rage, and he was going to be locked up where he couldn't hurt anyone anymore. That was what he deserved...

Because that's what people did to monsters.

That was the last thought Dick had before the cold overtook him and he passed out.

* * *

**Bruce**

It took Bruce less than an hour to realize that he was the worst father in the world.

After what happened, he put Dick in one of the holding cells in the cave, much to Tim's protest. His protege had yelled and screamed and even attempted to pry Dick's unconscious form away from him, but Bruce's larger frame didn't budge. After laying Dick down in the cell and locking the door behind him, Tim told him he was a monster in his own right and that he hated him before storming away.

Bruce pretended that those words didn't affect him long after his protege was gone. He spent perhaps half an hour staring at his eldest's unconscious frame before being satisfied that he wouldn't wake up any time soon. But when he made to leave the cave, he noticed something on the main computer. It was Dick's video. It was playing from the moment he had paused it. Tim's doing no doubt.

It was then that Bruce sat down and saw the video through to its' end. He just wanted to watch the rest and be done with it. But as he watched Cobb taunt his son over his actions, saw Dick's reaction to them as he realized what he did, and saw the later's breakdown at the very end...

Needless to say, Bruce was utterly ashamed of himself. The way he had treated Dick like a common criminal the moment he walked into the manor, not giving him the chance to explain himself...

What was _wrong_ with him?

Bruce thought it best to try and repair things with the one son who was capable of speaking to him first. Tim's door was locked, and though he had a key, he thought it best not to overstep his bounds. Tim had every right to hate him. It was best not to push it. He spoke to Tim through the door and said that he had seen the rest of the footage and that he was sorry.

Tim stormed right out with a look a pure hatred he hadn't seen on the boy's face since the day they caught his parent's killer. Tim tore into him without mercy. And he deserved it. Deserved every harsh word, every degradation, and every insult thrown his way. Each and every word was true.

Tim had made it clear that it was Dick he needed to apologize to, and he was kidding himself if he thought that alone would do the trick. The way he had reacted to Dick was already done, and would not be undone by a few kind words. He had confirmed every fear Dick held on how he would react. He had done more damage in one conversation then the Court had done in half a year. And Dick was the one paying for it. He should be ashamed of himself, and he didn't deserve Dick.

Tim was absolutely right. He was ashamed, and he didn't deserve Dick. He tried to tell Tim that he would do everything in his power to make this better, but Tim cut him off by asking if he still intended to send Dick away.

That was the rough. Though it was clear to Bruce that Dick did regret his actions, and was not the mindless killer he feared, he was _still_ a killer _._ More to the point his outburst with Tim proved he was unstable. Truth be told he had considered professional help for months, and this was just the nail in the coffin. The only difference was that he no longer meant it as a way to punish Dick. He would have to do it to protect Dick from harming himself or others.

He tried to explain to Tim that it was for the best, but Tim cut him off again and told him in no uncertain terms that if he did that he would lose two sons, before slamming the door in his face. Bruce sighed and pressed a finger to his temple where a headache was starting to form. He was sure to get an earful from the Team and the League over this too. What a nightmare. But this was for the best. It had to be.

Bruce finally proceeded to go downstairs to the cave to get Dick out of the cell. This night had been traumatizing enough. He shouldn't have to wake up there of all places. But that ship had sailed. When Bruce got down there, he arrived to find the cell empty. And Dick was nowhere in sight.

Bruce began to panic right away. How had he not seen _that_ coming?! Of course Dick would no a way out of the cells. He helped design them! Bruce brain completely ceased to function as he began to wrack his head for where his ward might have gone. But his inaction was rewarded, for whatever reason, by the sound of someone's footsteps upstairs. He ran up at speeds that would put Flash to shame and found Dick. And the state in which he found him would haunt him for the rest of his days.

Beneath golden eyes were a pair of tear stains falling down to his jaw. He was standing by the fireplace and in a posture that said he was on his way to leave just before Bruce caught him. But besides that was what he was _wearing._ It made Bruce want to believe he was seeing things. Surely insanity was a better alternative to Dick actually wearing the Talon uniform. Gold claws lay discarded on the sofa by the fireplace, as did the hood. That meant he had probably walked in on Dick as he was putting the uniform on. But that mattered little at the moment.

He and Dick just stood there staring at each other, like neither was sure what to make of the other's presence.

It was so odd. These two had known each other for well over a decade. Fought together, trained together, loved one another. But in that moment, it was like they were perfect strangers. Bruce never could have imagined Dick dawning that uniform by choice. Between that and his ward's odd appearance, it was as though he were a whole other person. But Bruce knew better than to voice that. And he knew better than to react. So he kept his voice as leveled and modulated as humanly possible as he asked Dick a question that he much rather would have screamed.

"Dick." He began, trying his very best not to scare the boy anymore than he already had that night. "What are you doing?"

Dick turned away in shame, closing his eyes and letting out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry Bruce." He said. "I...I never wanted you to see me like this...or like I was on that tape."

Bruce tried to take a step towards his son, but stopped when he saw the entirety of Dick's form shift to a defensive stance, as though Bruce might attack him. Bruce felt something inside him break when he realized that's exactly what Dick thought. The way he had reacted...even though Bruce had already acknowledged his faults in it, this brought them to a clearer picture. He had outright accused his son of murder, incapacitated him, and locked him away without any attempt to hear him out. Of course he seemed like a threat.

And that made what he did next even worse. He knew that, but Bruce had to say it regardless. "Take off that uniform now Dick." He hadn't meant for his tone to come out so hostile, but he couldn't bare the sight of his son in that attire. He just couldn't.

Dick narrowed his eyes at his guardian and slowly shifted out of his defensive posture, but made no move to follow Bruce's demands. "I...I can't."

Bruce's eyes narrowed into a watered down batglare at the response. "Can't or won't?"

"Both."

Bruce clenched his fist at his son's continued defiance, but he knew better than to act on his emotions at a time like this. So instead he looked at his son pleadingly, eyes begging him for an explanation. "Why are you doing this?"

Dick finally managed to bring his gaze up to meet Bruce's. And it was there that Bruce saw something that never should have crossed Dick's features. It wasn't malice, or betrayal, or even the ever-present misery that appeared to have become a constant for Dick. It was just...nothing. Dick's normally expressive eyes did not give off a hint of emotion. They just glossed over him, cold and calculating.

"I'm sorry Bruce." He repeated, though his words rang with a distinct hint of fear. "I tried to deny it. I wanted so badly to believe it wasn't true. But there are some things in this world that you can't escape, no matter how much you don't want to believe them."

"What..." Even the Dark Knight himself had trouble speaking through the tension in the room. "What are you talking about?"

Dick looked down, no longer able to look Bruce in the eyes as he let the truth he had been keeping to himself spill out. "I told you and the Team that Nightwing had been killed by the Court. That I was just his corpse. But that wasn't the whole truth. I didn't want it to be true, but after tonight there can be no more denying it."

.

.

.

"It wasn't just Nightwing that was butchered in that Labyrinth. They killed Richard Grayson as well."

Bruce shook his head, trying again to approach his ward but stopped as he found Dick backing up with ever step he took forward. "Don't say that to me. _Please_ don't say that." He begged.

"I NEARLY KILLED TIM!" Dick bellowed causing Bruce to flinch back at the sudden outburst. "A part of me still wishes I had! It's screaming at me for letting my 'target' get away! Does that sound like the Richard Grayson you knew?!"

Bruce made no attempt to answer as he watched Dick attempt to catch his breath after how harshly he screamed. That's when he realized he had been all wrong. Dick hadn't gone cold and numb. Though in hindsight, that may have been better than this.

He was _afraid_. Not of the Court, or even Bruce. He was afraid of _himself_. Of what he had become. And of what he was capable of now.

Bruce's heart fell to his feet as he came to understand just how tormented Dick was by the shame of being a Talon. But Talon or not, Dick was still his son. "Please Dick, just give yourself a chance. Take off that uniform and we can sit down and work through this."

"By sending me to Arkham?"

Bruce stood there speechless for a full minute. Oh God. The advanced hearing that Talons possessed! He could have been in the cave and heard every word of his conversation with Tim as clear as a bell!

And the accusatory tone with which his son asked spoke volumes to him, and Bruce knew that once again he had failed spectacularly as a parent by even suggesting it. "No. No I wouldn't...I was wrong to-"

"Please stop." Dick said as he raised a hand. He just sounded so...defeated. Like he had been fighting for months on end and only now realized that the battle was a lost cause. "You weren't wrong Bruce. Not entirely anyway. I'm not going to Arkham. I won't get better there, no one ever does..."

Then their eyes met again. That seemed to be a common occurrence nowadays. Dick making and then breaking eye contact. But it was in those moments that Bruce could see the sheer vulnerability behind their gold luster. But that was gone now. Gone was the vulnerability of a poor, broken child. And in it's place was a hollow, tired gaze.

"...but I can't be here anymore. I don't _belong_ here."

Bruce gave his son a disbelieving stare. Did he even know how absurd he sounded? "How can you say that? This is your home!"

"It's your home Bruce. I just lived in it."

"That's not true, and you know it." Bruce countered. "You can't just leave Dick. What would that even accomplish? If you stay here then we can fix-"

That was when Dick rounded on Bruce and punched him square in the jaw before the Dark Knight could even react, causing him to crash on the other side of the room. He couldn't take it anymore! He couldn't stand everyone saying that everything would be fixed! Like he was some broken toy that could be put back together. He gave Bruce a glare that could melt steel, even as the older man got back to his feet while nursing his jaw.

"STOP SAYING THAT!" Dick shouted. His walls were finally breaking down. He couldn't keep it in anymore. His secrets had come to light, his sins laid bare, and his actions judged. There was no longer any reason to hide what he felt. All at once, everything he had bottled up in the past two months came forward violently. "You _can't_ fix it Bruce! God, I am so sick of people saying that! 'We'll fix this', 'it'll be okay', 'you'll get through this'! IT'S ALL BULLSHIT! I'll never be okay! I'll never be who I was ever again! I'm a _fucking_ monster! A murderer! A freak! And you stand there and say you can fix it?! Can you resurrect the dead and fix it so that those people I killed are alive?! Can you turn back time and fix it so that I was never with the Court?!"

Without any form of warning, Dick pulled an iron poker from the fireplace and yanked it up before grabbing the red hot end in his other hand, wincing at the pain.

"DICK!" Bruce shouted as he ran to his son, forgetting about the pain in his jaw. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Dick then released his hold on the poker and threw it back into the fireplace before raising his open palm to show his surrogate father. Even Bruce looked thoroughly disgusted by the sight and stopped in his tracks. Black, charred skin lay at the edges of the burn which itself showed horribly burned and melted flesh, blood not even able to escape from the hideous wound because it was cauterized. Then the skin began to repair itself at speeds that shouldn't be possible. Soon the wound, which at the very least should have left a terrible scar, disappeared as though it had never been there.

"What about that Bruce?! Can you fix _fucking that_?!"

Dick's eyes always had a tendency to betray him. Especially to someone as well trained as Bruce. That's how his father was able to look past the angry tears and the glares and the screaming. It wasn't the self-hatred or fear or guilt or shame that was the driving force behind Dick's decision. It was true that those things were there, but they weren't what made Dick think that leaving the Manor and leaving Bruce was the only thing to do. That was _despair_.

Dick, the bright ball of joy that had made even the stoic Batman smile, had _given up hope_. Given up the mere thought of himself being anything more than a Talon.

Bruce felt his blood freeze inside of his veins from terror at the implications. Dick was surrendering himself to being a monster. And Bruce had played a key role in that. He came to the Manor that night with hope for the future, and was about to leave with anguish and pain in his heart.

And it was all. Because. Of him.

Dick let out a small whimper as he shook his head and wiped his tears away. "There is no fixing what I am Bruce."

Bruce shook his head and lurched for his son, pulling him into a tight, if somewhat awkward hug. He felt the boy tense as soon as they made contact but he didn't care. Dick needed this as much as he did. "Please Dick. I'm _sorry_. I'm so sorry I made you feel this way. I was just so...stunned to see that tape. But that's no excuse for how I reacted. I should have had faith in you. I was wrong. You're not a monster. You're not a freak. You're my son. That will never change no matter-"

"You're a fucking _liar._ " Dick said as he suddenly pulled away from the hug. Bruce looked at him in awe and was prepared to argue when Dick cut him off again.

"I saw you tonight Bruce. I saw the way you looked at me. You can't fake that. You can't hide it." Those words tore into his soul more than Dick could ever realize. He knew right away that his betrayal of his eldest would not be so easily forgiven, but he didn't want to believe that Dick would be the one to suffer the most from _his_ mistake.

"Dick I-"

"Stop. Right now." Dick interrupted. "Anything you say about how you didn't mean it would be an outright lie. So I'm going to give you one last chance to tell the truth here."

Dick let a pregnant pause pass between them as he looked into Bruce's eyes one last time, yellow orbs pleading with him for honesty.

"Can you really promise me that you think I'm the same? That I can be a hero again? Can you promise that the fact that I killed people doesn't change a thing?"

Bruce had already made so many mistakes that night. He hadn't seen the rest of the footage. He had treated Tim and Dick both like they were criminals. He had all but said so much to Dick. For God's sake, he injected his son with _liquid nitrogen_ , then locked him up like some sort of animal!

But for years to come, Bruce would consider what he did next the biggest mistake of his life.

He hesitated. He _fucking_ hesitated! He knew what this would do to his son! He knew that it would break him! But it was like the Batman persona overrode his senses, if only for a moment. The side of him that never allowed for killing, regardless of circumstance. And in one moment, while barely even looking at his son, Bruce did the one thing that would destroy any hope of helping Dick.

"I can't. God forgive me. I can't."

He turned away and covered his face with his hand, no longer able to face him, which kept him from gauging Dick's reaction. The only thing he had to go off of was Dick's words not a moment later, in the same tone you would hear from someone on death-row. It was the voice of someone who had resigned to their fate.

"Goodbye Bruce."

The billionaire heard the small shuffle of metal, which he knew in his heart was Dick completing the Talon uniform. He still couldn't bring himself to turn around. Out of the corner of his eye and through the spaces in his fingers Bruce could see a dark figure pass through the living room. Soon after came the sound of the large oak doors of the Manor opening and closing with a thud. With no other sound but the flicking of the fireplace, Bruce swore he could also hear Dick's Nightcycle start up and begin to drive off. Soon enough the smooth rumble of the engine faded away and left Bruce to nothing but his own thoughts to fill the silence.

It didn't take long though for him to crash into the couch and cover his face with both hands as he replayed what he did over and over and over.

_What had he done?_

Another noise soon accompanied him. Footsteps rushing down the staircase. He didn't need to look up. He knew that Alfred was too large to make such a small sound with each step.

"Bruce...what the _hell_ happened?" It was the unspoken 'what did you do?' that Bruce chose to answer.

He still couldn't bring himself to look up. What right did he have to look his son in the eye when he had just so blatantly failed the other?

"I just choose my principles over my own son."

* * *

**Dick**

In the back of his mind he felt a bit of psychological discomfort from using the Nightcycle while in his Talon gear. But he also knew that he was driving far too fast for anyone to make out what he was wearing. Besides, all the people in his life who matter already knew what he was. What did he care if the rest of Gotham and Bludhaven found out as well?

The trip to Bludhaven took less than an hour, though Dick had to drive around for a bit to find an area with no onlookers. He finally found one such space in one of the worst areas of the city. Here people only went out at night if they had a death wish. He still climbed up one of the abandoned buildings for good measure though. After taking a quick look around and becoming satisfied that no one was there to see him, Dick removed his hood.

For a moment he just stood there, letting the chilly night air sweep through his ebony locks. Though he now hated the cold with a passion, it had a weird way of clearing his mind. And that was something he desperately needed right now.

For the first time since he was eight years old, Richard John Grayson felt lost. His parents death had nearly undone him completely. It made him feel like there was nothing left for him in the world. But then Bruce came along and grounded him. Gave him a purpose. Gave him a family.

But now he was unmoored once again, like a ship being carried by the tide. This day had completely drained him emotionally. He had used up all the tears he had left. He couldn't even bring himself to feel sad anymore. He couldn't bring himself to feel angry, or lonely, or even scared. He just felt numb now.

And now, he was on his own. But that didn't mean he was without purpose. He only wished it didn't have to be this way. Regardless of what he wanted though, he had finally reached his limit. He had been drowning in misery for so long, and he just wanted it to stop. He couldn't guarantee that this new path would do that for him, but it had become painfully obvious that clinging to his old life would only make it worse. And if there was one thing he had learned in that Labyrinth, it was that being Richard Grayson brought nothing but sorrow and agony. It was easier to be a Talon.

Sooner or later Dick decided it was time to cut his own musings and do what he came here for. With the hood off, Dick reached into his mouth and shifted his fingers inside of it for a bit before he gripped one of his molars and pulled it from it's socket, revealing it to be a false tooth.

Dick still remembered when Bruce had found the tooth the Court placed in his mouth as a child, an owl insignia carved into a coin inside it. That tooth had made Dick come to realize just how long the Court had their eyes on him. They most likely had been planning to make him their Gray Son from the time he was in his mother's womb. Maybe even before that.

After he had the Court's tooth removed, Bruce had insisted on replacing it with a different one. The new tooth had a tracker in it, of course. Despite his protests, Dick had actually appreciated what Bruce was trying to do and the hidden message that came with it. By taking out the Court's tooth and replacing it with his own, it was like he was marking Dick. Saying that the Court no longer had a claim to him. That had been nice to believe for a while.

Of course that tooth had been taken out when the Court captured him. The one he held in his hand now was a brand new one that went in almost as soon as he came back to the manor. Dick had accepted it at the time, desperate to bring something from his old life back to him.

But now he knew better. Now he knew that was just a dream. But regardless of that realization, Dick still had to look away as he crushed the tooth in the palm of his hand. Once there was nothing left of it but fine dust, Dick opened his fist and allowed the remnants to drift out into the wind.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when his comm started to buzz in his ear. He had grown so accustomed to wearing one that he completely forgot about it. Hesitantly, he pressed a finger to it and answered. "Hello?"

" _Dick._ " Tim breathed in relief on the other side of the line. Dick knew right away what this was about. His little brother had been tracking him as soon as he left the manor. And with the tooth being the only tracker they had reinstalled, Tim no longer had anyway of knowing where he was. Good.

 _"Where are you? Your tracker just went offline."_ He could hear the panic in Tim's tone of voice as he asked. It broke Dick's heart that he was doing this to people he cared about. But that didn't change what had to be done.

"I can't tell you that Timmy." He breathed. He was hoping vainly that using that nickname as an endearment would soften the blow. Of course, Tim was too smart for that to work.

 _"Dick please."_ He begged. _"Bruce was wrong to say all that to you. Just forget about him. Come back home and we...we'll figure this out."_

"I'm so sorry Tim." Dick said as he leaned against the ledge. "I wanted so badly to believe that we could make this work. That I was still a good person. But I was kidding myself. When I said I was just a corpse, I meant it in more ways then just one. Yeah, I'm technically dead. Hell, I barely have a pulse. But that's not what I was talking about. I'm what's left behind after someone died. Richard Grayson and Nightwing went into that Court. I'm the dead body that came out. And yeah, I may look like them, and my voice may sound like theirs, but I'm neither. I'm just another Talon. And now that you all know that...there's only one thing left for me to do."

 _"No!"_ The voice in his comm sounded. _"No please! Please tell me you're not going to hurt yourself!"_

Dick had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "Even if that's what I was talking about, I couldn't die even if I wanted to. Trust me on that." He realized his last few words were a mistake the moment he uttered them. But they spilled from his lips without permission and were now out in the open.

 _"Oh God. You...You've attempted before?"_ He could hear the catch in Tim's voice now. It hurt to hear, and made him want to hang up now. But Tim deserved an explanation.

"It's no big deal."

 _"NO BIG DEAL?!"_ Dick winced at the volume. _"YOU TRIED TO KILL YOURSELF AND YOU SAY IT'S NO BIG DEAL?! Dick you better tell me where the fuck you are or I'll call the League and we will scour all of Haven to find you!"_

"I'll be gone by the time they get here." He countered impassively. "Like I said, I'm not going to kill myself. Or rather, I physically can't. And since I can't be a hero, and I can't be Dick Grayson, there's only one thing left."

Dick looked down at his claws before continuing. They looked just like they had that night in the maze. The light of the moon caught them in a manner that was purely mesmerizing, and seemed to put him in a trance. And just like that night, someone snapped him out of it. He heard a sharp cry for help in the alley below and rushed to the side to see what was happening. He was greeted by the sight of a man pinning a young woman by her wrists as she was scrambling to get him off of her. The small fire of rage that ignited in him at the sight solidified his next words.

"I'm sorry Tim. But I'm a monster. So I'm going to do what monsters do." Without waiting for a response, Dick yanked the comm from his ear and flicked it carelessly to the side. He then pulled down his hood and jumped into the alley below, before prowling towards the unsuspecting man.

By the end of the night, he was satisfied that Bludhaven had one less criminal within it's borders. The fact that this line of action would cost him his soul was of no concern anymore. It was a price he was willing to pay. 

There was no more Nightwing. No more Robin. No more Dick Grayson.

There was only Talon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes:
> 
> (1) Refers to when Nightwing worked alongside the vigilante Tarantula in an attempt to bring down Blockbuster, only for Tarantula to sexually assault him while he had a panic attack and was unable to fight her off.
> 
> So it turns out I'm extending the story again. This has nothing to do with the length of the chapter, but I decided the I really like this as a cliffhanger (I'm evil) and I was anxious to get this up.
> 
> P.S. regarding my personal life. My friend has had some health problems in the past so the coronavirus could be lethal if she gets infected. It's starting to spread around where we live, so right now it's a big concern. I'm not sure if religion is your thing, but I would really appreciate it if you would all send up a prayer for her.
> 
> Thank you all very much and I hope to update soon.


	4. Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abandoned by his family and hated by his allies, Bruce Wayne must find a way to find Dick and stop him before he does something that will haunt him forever.

_Dick struggled violently in the man's gloved grasp. But nothing he did seemed to break the larger man's hold on him. No matter how much he kicked or screamed or lashed at him, the armor he wore and the sheer amount of skill he possessed kept Dick from being able to defend himself. He could do nothing as he was dragged along and eventually thrown forward like a rag doll into the open box that sat on the ground._

_Dick cringed away from the cold edge of the metal when he tried to climb out. The inside of the box was much colder than the rest of the room. But then again...it wasn't a box. This was something Dick realized with a start._

_It was a coffin._

_Before he could attempt another climb out of it, the lid suddenly slammed shut on him and left him trapped inside. Dick pounded against the glass lid with all his might but it didn't so much as leave a crack._

_"LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! PLEASE LET ME OUT!" Dick screamed at the top of his lungs. Fresh tears were starting to form in his eyes from desperation. He looked through them and attempted to gaze out to the person who sealed him inside. It had been too bright on the outside to see anything, but the tinted glass was causing the light to lower, and allowed him to just make out the dark silhouette that loomed over him._

_Batman was glaring daggers at him through the lid._

_Dick banged against the glass some more as he plead with his long time mentor. "Bruce please! I'm sorry! Please let me out! Please don't leave me in here!"_

_The Dark Knight sneered at the Talon's begging and his glare intensified. "You're going to spend the rest of your life in there. I should have done this a long time ago. I never should have even raised you in the first place. I should have left you on the circus floor where I found you."_

_The tears in his eyes began to pour down his cheeks, only to freeze and crack. It was starting to get colder. He would stop being able to move soon. And Bruce hadn't administered the drug to put him to sleep. He would be awake for all of it._

_He looked back up, meaning to plead with Bruce once more, only to find another shadowy figure behind the Dark Knight, who seemed completely unaware of the newcomer's presence. Soon the stranger advanced towards Batman, pulling a katana from a sheath on his back. Dick pounded on the glass again to get Bruce's attention. "Bruce! Behind you!"_

_He turned just in time for the newcomer's blade to pierce his mid-section. Dick let out a terrified shriek as blood splattered all over the lid. Through the blood he could see Batman's form drop to the ground, just out of his view. The shadow advanced towards the coffin and knelt down to get a better look, which in turn allowed Dick to see his face._

_It was Cobb._

_With a renewed drive Dick beat against the container in a desperate attempt to get free, but Cobb's evil laugh put a stop to it._

_"No need to be frightened." Cobb said as he tapped a few buttons on the coffin's side. Immediately more cold air poured in and made Dick's whole body seize up. Once that was done, Cobb looked him in the eye. "You're just going to go to sleep for now. And when you wake up, I'll be right here to make you our Gray Son once again."_

_"NO!" Dick somehow managed to break his arm free of the paralysis and bashed his fist against the container, causing it to shatter. Dick wasted no time in jumping out and putting himself in a defensive stance, but Cobb was nowhere to be seen._

_Dick spun around in every direction in an attempt to find him, but paused when he finally saw where he was. It was the Labyrinth. And there before him stood the giant owl fountain, water spewing from it's beak. But the rest of the fountain was different. Inside the base was not water. It was blood. And leaning against the edge of it was the Team. Babs, Conner, M'gann, Kaldur, Artemis, and Tim. Or at least their bodies. Their throats had been torn open, and their blood was pouring into the fountain like water._

_Dick fell to his knees at the carnage, unable to bring himself to even scream._

_But then a new noise overtook the room. And he was familiar with such music. It was the sound of begging. Dick turned to see Wally on his knees, being held by the throat by Cobb, who had his clawed hand raised high._

_Wally's plea for mercy fell on deaf ears as Cobb swiped his arm down and tore apart the younger man's throat. Dick let out another strangled cry as his best friend fell to the ground, dead._

_Cobb just stood there, blood soaking his armor, and gave him a wry laugh in response to his pain._

_Anger quickly replaced the dread and burned through him like a roaring fire as Dick leapt up and jumped on Cobb, pinning the older Talon beneath him as he raised his claws to finish the job._

_He paused in his blood-lust though. The man under him was no longer William Cobb. It was him. It was Dick Grayson._

_His mirror image smiled at him as he raised a clawed hand up to his face and brushed the tears away._

_"It's time you stop fighting what you really are."_

* * *

Dick shot out of bed, a scream tearing through his throat. Sooner or later he realized that he was in bed, not in the Labyrinth. He took a few deep breaths until he found that he could breathe with ease. Slowly, he took a look around, his owl eyes having no issue adjusting to the dark, and recognized his bedroom, if one could call it that.

Realistically it was the epitome of modesty. He was currently laying on top of a mattress that was spread out haphazardly on the ground, and there was a small chest of drawers by his side and a sink on the far side of the room. He also had a desk set up in the corner with a computer rested on it, and a board just next to that with a series of pictures and pins on it. That was all. The location itself was the basement of some closed down restaurant in Bludhaven. Even though he still technically owned an apartment in the city he knew it would be the first place anyone in the JLA would look. And he needed his solitude for what he was doing. Not visits from the Justice League. Certainly not from Bruce.

Trying to shake off the nightmare he just had, Dick rolled over so he could reach the chest of drawers and opened it to pull out a bottle of beer. He bought a box of them when he first set up here. He knew logically that his healing factor would probably keep him from feeling any of the usual effects of alcohol, but he was willing to hope. To go out and get them he had to wear sunglasses and a hoodie that he liberated from his old apartment, so that no one would recognize him as Richard Grayson or as a Talon. Luckily this was Bludhaven, so even though he barely looked old enough to vote he was able to buy these without anyone really caring. The first time he tried to get drunk he thought he felt a bit lightheaded for a second, but it must have been psychosomatic because he downed the rest of the bottle and didn't feel a thing.

He didn't know why he bothered to keep drinking it. To some extent he supposed it was an experiment to see if things would change for whatever reason. So far they had not. After finishing the bottle and still being fully sober, Dick tossed it to the side and got up to go upstairs. After emerging from the basement he looked outside the glass doors of the restaurant as best he could, though they were mostly covered with old newspapers. Still, through the tears in the paper he could see a soft orange glow, meaning it was sunrise.

Dick then decided to position himself by the window and watch the sun come up. He could use some small pleasures here and there.

It had been two months since he left the manor. Two months since he chose to embrace his destiny as a Talon. Two months since he began to deal with crime in Bludhaven his own way. In all that time he hadn't spoken to a single member of the Team or the League. He found himself wondering what they were doing right now. Knowing Tim and Wally they were probably the ones to raised hell about searching for him when he left. There had been a few close encounters where an old team member nearly caught up to him while he was out on patrol, but his heightened senses allowed him to pick up on them and evade them before they came too close. It was like trying to swat a fly with the head of a needle.

Sooner or later the close encounters got less and less frequent before they stopped all together. He wasn't sure if it was him or the search they had given up on. He only knew that he was in no position to deal with them. In fact if he had it as an option, he would never see any of them again. It wasn't out of malice by any means. But heroes had no business associating with people like him unless it was to take them to prison.

Dick was so consumed with his own thoughts that he hadn't even realized he had cast his gaze downwards and stopped looking at the sunrise until the light shinning on his face got brighter and forced him to flinch away. He looked again squinting to see that the sun was now over the horizon and shinning in the blue sky. Oh well, he supposed. He would have to watch it rise some other time.

Going back down to the basement, Dick immediately went to his computer and got to work. As it turned on, the bulletin board next to him came into view as the blue screen lit up the room. On it were the pictures of several men and woman, connected by threads wrapped around the pushpins that hung them on the board. At the very top of the chain was a picture of a red owl mask with a question mark drawn next to it. But that was not the most eye catching detail. The thing that drew the most attention was the fact that most of these pictures were x'd out in thick red marker.

* * *

**Bruce**

Bruce always appreciated Wayne Manor. In his childhood before his parents were killed, the large estate made him the envy of every classmate in Gotham Academy. After their deaths, it gave him his own space to be away from the world and separate himself from society. When he became Batman, the large hollowed out foundation underneath allowed him to convert it into the Batcave. And when he became a father, it was a great place to raise a family.

He had always loved Wayne Manor.

But now he hated it with a passion.

Because this incredibly large house only served to remind him of how utterly alone he was.

Nowadays you hear this person and that talking about how they had no idea where it all went wrong. That wasn't the case here. Bruce knew exactly where it went wrong. It was the moment he betrayed Dick. And from that point everything spiraled downwards.

Tim left him not long after Dick. He told Bruce that until further notice he could consider himself childless, and stormed out of the manor with his things packed. Sans the Robin suit. That he left behind. Tim was so distant now that he didn't even know where his son was living. Not long after he left though, Tim presented himself to the Team as Red Robin, with a new suit he made himself (1) and a new name meant to commemorate where he had come from. But this was not at all like when Dick became Nightwing.

Dick became Nightwing because he had simply grown up, and was an independent young man. Tim became Red Robin out of hatred for Bruce. Whenever they encountered each other in their vigilante personas Tim would glare at him through his mask, and outright refused to speak to him. Once when giving an assignment to the Team, he made the mistake of addressing Red Robin directly after the rest of the Team dispersed. It was an utter nightmare.

* * *

_"What do you want?"_ _Red Robin asked curtly. Clearly he was eager to walk through the Zeta tubes and join his team, or rather, he was eager to be anywhere but in Bruce's company._

_"We need to talk." Batman responded in like, trying to keep his voice level. Inside he felt even more torn apart than he had after his parent's murder._

_Red Robin snorted and moved towards the Zeta tubes. "We have nothing to talk about." He said as he pushed past Batman._

_Batman reached out and grabbed him lightly by his wrist to stop him. "Please Tim. I know you hate me. You should hate me. But I need your help. If you could just help me find Dick then-"_

_Red Robin snarled and ripped his arm from his former mentor's grasp before rounding on him. "Then what? What could you possibly hope to accomplish by facing him_ Batman _?"_

_Bruce couldn't suppress the chill that ran through him at the use of his moniker. Even when they were hidden under their masks it had always been 'Bruce' to his sons when they were alone. It clearly didn't go unnoticed by Tim._

_Red Robin feigned guilt and put a hand to his chest. "Oh I'm so sorry. Did that offend you?" He asked, sarcasm dripping from his tone like acid. "I thought you'd appreciate it. I mean, that's how it works with you right? Cowl comes first, family comes second."_

_"That's not fair Tim." He protested weakly._

_"It's not wrong either." Red Robin replied. "You have never cared about anyone more than you cared about Batman. And that's fucking sad. But don't come to me just because you want to alleviate your guilt."_

_"That's not what this is." In his heart though, Bruce knew that Tim's words rang true. "I need to make things right with Dick."_

_"No, you want him to forgive you." Red Robin countered as he turned away one last time and walked towards the tubes. "I wouldn't if I were him. And even if he does someday, that's not the same thing as going back to the Manor. I already moved out, and it's not like he has any other family waiting for him there."_

_Those words sat with Batman well after his former protege disappeared into the Zeta tubes._

* * *

Alfred didn't quit, which boggled his mind. But suddenly the man who raised him became nothing more than his butler. He did the bare minimum in his services around the manor and never spoke to Bruce. He seemed to avoid being in the same room with the man as best he could. Every night when he came home there was a plate of food waiting for him, but Alfred was nowhere to be seen. The amount of effort he put into avoiding Bruce was by far in a way worse than if he had outright resigned.

Barbara was another story. She never outright quit either. She never got the chance.

They had been out on patrol one night without a word passing between them. There was an unspoken discord in every move they made that hadn't been there before, though the cause was obvious. They weren't working together as well as they could. Both were completely off their game and he knew it. He should have insisted that they work things out before patrolling. But he didn't.

So later that night when they encountered the Joker, that disconnect between them had cost her dearly. Bruce knew in his heart that this was his fault as well. When the Joker pulled his gun, he had been too slow, or wasn't paying enough attention. Barbara had been distracted with thoughts about Dick, or resentment towards Bruce. Either way, what happened to her was entirely on him.

It was on him that the Joker shot Batgirl in the chest point blank. It was on him that the bullet had gone straight through her spine and cut off all neural connectivity. It was on him that she had to retire as Batgirl. And it was on him that she would never walk again.

Lastly was the League itself. But they hadn't necessarily abandoned him either. In fact, it was the reverse. He tenured his resignation two weeks ago. Diana and Clark may have been angry with him for his treatment of Dick, but they still quarreled with him over this choice, saying that the League needed Batman. He told them that he was hardly in a state of mind to help anyone and he would be a liability as he was now. What had happened to Barbara was proof of that. Moreover, he had to focus on finding Dick and making things right.

On his way out of the Watchtower that day he passed by the Team, each of them sending intense glares his way. Wally's was by far the fiercest. Kid Flash and Tigress had returned to the Team not long after Dick left. It gave the young man every opportunity to tell Bruce what a worthless, pathetic excuse for a father he was. And the younger hero made sure to do just that every chance he got.

But that didn't matter. The insults and glares and avoidance didn't matter. He deserved it after all. What concerned him most was Dick.

Officially, Richard Grayson had been sent to a specialized psychiatric facility at an undisclosed location to deal with his PTSD. It made for a better story than admitting he had essentially kicked his son out of the house.

In reality Bludhaven, still reeling from the loss of Nightwing, had been flooded with crime as of late. But the most recent online articles concerning Haven talked about a new unnamed vigilante who had taken to the streets. It was worth noting though, that most of the headlines about the aforementioned 'hero' ended with the phrase 'friend or foe?'. And that question was asked with good reason.

It all began with an attempted rape the night Dick left. The woman was fine physically, but was pretty much traumatized by what she saw. The man that intervened had smashed her would-be attacker's head into the wall, cracked his eye socket, collapsed his lung, shattered his knee, and crushed his larynx. It was a miracle he didn't die. In fact, he did die multiple times in the ambulance en route to the hospital, only to be revived each and every time. He would be spending the next year or so in a full body cast.

Bruce felt his insides collapse in on themselves when he read her description; a tall man in a black leotard with golden claws and orange goggles over his owl-themed hood.

The attacks only seemed to get more brutal from there. Criminals had their bones all but ground to dust, were stabbed repeatedly in major arteries, got beaten so badly that blood vessels began to burst. Many of these people would have severe lifelong disabilities as a result. It was going too far.

As far as small miracles went, no one had died yet. Yet being the operative word. And it wasn't for lack of trying. Dick clearly had lost all concern for whether or not people died. But what he had been doing lately was by far the most disturbing.

Seven people had been attacked in their homes. They were tied up, gagged, and tortured for hours on end. Electrocuted, burned, stabbed, beaten, even mutilated. And these were no criminals. They were just ordinary citizens. Bruce wanted desperately to believe that they were unrelated, but the only victim to awaken described his attacker, and that attacker was a Talon.

Bruce had no idea what Dick was up to. Perhaps they were somehow connected to criminal organizations, and this was some twisted method of gaining information. Whatever the cause, it was absolutely horrifying.

Bruce had to get to the bottom of this. He had to find Dick. He had to bring him home. He had to throw himself on the ground in front of his son and beg for forgiveness.

But Bruce was far to smart to think that it would work.

Dick had tormented himself into believing that no matter what he did, he could not be redeemed. But as it turned out, it was Bruce there was no redemption for.

* * *

**M'gann**

M'gann woke up to sunbeams making it through the space in her curtain and making contact with her face. She rolled over in bed in an attempt to keep herself from waking up completely, and knew immediately that something was wrong. There was far too much space next to her on the bed. She reached over and confirmed her suspicions. Conner wasn't there.

The destruction of the cave, a place which had served as their home for years, had indeed been tragic. However, it also served as the perfect opportunity to get their own place. It wasn't anything too fancy. In fact, it was quite literally a house in the middle of nowhere. It very nice though. Several bedrooms, a nice garage for Sphere to stay in, and more than enough room to have a dog the size of Wolf. Not to mention a Zeta tube located behind their garage in case they were called over and needed a transportation method more conspicuous than the Supercycle. (2)

Despite being pleased with their house, M'gann was still concerned with Conner not being there. She was normally the first one up between the two of them. Regardless, in her tired state the martian decided that she was making something out of nothing and laid her head back down on the pillow.

After resting their for a little while longer she decided it was time to get up and make breakfast. She quickly got dressed in her robe and made her way to the kitchen, only to find her boyfriend already there. He was already fully dressed and wide awake. His back was turned to her and he was on the phone. As she walked closer, she could hear more of the conversation.

"That long?" Conner said to the person on the other line. He sighed and scrubbed his hand across his face. "Yeah, I understand. I'll pass it along. Thank you for calling." With that the half-kryptonian hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" M'gann asked. Conner was startled by her sudden presence, but settled down and smiled once he saw who it was. However, his smile quickly disappeared, as though he was remembering the conversation he had.

"It was the headmaster of Gotham Academy. He was calling about Tim. I told him I was his roommate."

M'gann couldn't help but smile a bit at that. Tim must have listed their place as his forwarding address and changed his contact information. After Tim and Bruce's falling out, he came over to vent to Conner a bit. M'gann had been utterly horrified to learn what Bruce did upon finding what happened. She by no means thought he would take it well, but attempting to lock Dick up in Arkham? That was unforgivable.

After Tim made it very clear that he had no intention of returning to that house, it was M'gann who offered him one of the spare rooms at their place. Both Conner and Tim seemed keen on the idea, and as far as she knew there were no issues with it. Tim would use their private Zeta tube to go to Gotham in time for school, then go up to the Watchtower for training and mission deployment. So far it seemed like everything had gone off without a hitch, but a call from Tim's headmaster meant otherwise.

"Was it about him missing school? I know he's been absent a couple days for Team missions but..."

"He hasn't gone to school in eighteen consecutive days." Conner corrected.

M'gann turned to give her boyfriend a stunned look. "Eighteen? He's only been out for three in regards to Team missions. And we made sure they were spread out."

Conner shrugged his shoulders as he set the phone down. "Well according to the headmaster, Tim hasn't shown up to school and none of his professors have been successful in contacting him. They've done everything short of putting his face on the side of a milk cart." Conner explained with a dejected look. "If he misses any more, he'll fail his sophomore year."

M'gann took a seat at the kitchen table and put her head in her hands. Everything seemed to be coming apart at the seams. Nightwing was gone. Batman was in a self-imposed exile. And now Red Robin was shifting all the balance away from his civilian life. And if M'gann had to take a guess, she would say that his search for Dick was the cause. Tim looked for Dick well after the trail went cold and the Team was told to leave it alone for the time being. No one was surprised to learn that Red Robin had been logging extra hours at the Watchtower in an attempt to find his brother, nor did anyone abject. But that was only because they had no idea he was allowing his civilian identity to fall on the back burner to accomplish it. That just couldn't stand.

At that moment, Tim emerged from his bedroom with his hair shooting out in every direction. Both aliens allowed him to go to the coffeepot without a word passing between them. The now previous Boy Wonder was practically a walking corpse without his morning cup of coffee, and didn't make for a very stimulating conversationalist. After downing his first mug of many, he looked around the room like he was only just now aware of what was going on around him. "What's up?"

Both Conner and M'gann were sitting down at the table looking at him like parents when their child brings home their first failing grade. "Well, we just got an interesting call from your headmaster."

Tim looked mildly startled by M'gann's statement and lowered his gaze to his mug. "Oh? What did he say?"

"I think you know." M'gann said as she got up and walked over to the young boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tim, we talked about this."

"No. You talked. I listened." He said as he shook off her grip.

M'gann let out a sigh and raised her fingers to her temple. "Where on Earth have you been going in the morning when you were supposed to be at school?"

"Bludhaven." He answered curtly, hoping that bluntness would make the conversation go quicker. Apparently, he was wrong.

"Tim, we all want Dick back but..." Tim scoffed in disbelief, cutting the Martian off.

"Then why did you stop looking?" He asked with accusatory glares sent to both of them.

M'gann relented under his glare. She knew that Tim was going through a hard time over everything that happened. His family was in shambles, one of his best friends was paralyzed, and his brother was at risk of losing himself. She would let that comment slide. He needed to vent.

Conner however, was having none of it. Tim was his best friend, but he couldn't stand for the boy blaming this mess on him and M'gann. It hurt too much.

"Don't go there Tim." The clone said with his voice lowered. "I get that he's your brother, but I've known Dick my entire life. He's our friend too, and we want to help him."

"Then _why_ did you stop looking?" Tim repeated, keeping the accusatory tone firm in his voice.

Conner pinched the bridge of his nose. "Having this conversation the first time was bad enough. We didn't _want_ to stop looking. But Dick was trained by the best in making himself invisible. You know that better than anyone. We're not going to find him unless he wants to be found."

"I refuse to accept that." Tim said stubbornly.

"And we understand that." M'gann said as she got up from her seat and placed herself between the two boys. "But it's just not healthy of you to conduct this search of yours by yourself at the expense of your civilian life."

"I never said I was alone." Tim snapped. "Red Arrow's been helping me."

"We'll that's worse. Roy is going through NA and single-handedly taking care of his infant daughter. He has more than enough responsibilities without putting on the mask."

"I wouldn't have had to go to him if the rest of you hadn't given up." Tim defended.

M'gann looked at him for a minute. "This is going in circles. I've already explained why we had to. The Team and the League agreed that until there was a solid lead to follow we had to-"

"Right." Tim said, cutting her off. "And the Team _always_ does what the League tells it to do."

Conner narrowed his eyes at the younger boy, beginning to lose his patience. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Tim looked at him with a raised brow. "Does 'Cadmus' ring a bell?"

M'gann gave Tim a sharp look as she sat down and sank into her space on the couch. "That was different."

"Why? Because it was him..." Tim said, pointing at Conner. "...instead of Dick?"

Conner took a deep breath to get the tension out of his system. They were due for a long conversation and it wasn't a good idea to let his temper get the better of him over that remark. "Look Tim, I have your back on this." He said with a small pause. "But I also have my limits. Do not, for even a second, accuse us of wanting things to be this way."

Tim looked away in mild shame, but it was clear he had no intention of changing the way he was handling things. That realization made Conner sigh again. "I don't get this." He said. "You've been doing so well with keeping up in your school work. What changed?"

Tim looked up again and flicked his eyes towards the living room where M'gann was sitting. "Turn on the TV."

M'gann raised on auburn brow at the Dark Squire's request/demand. Nevertheless, she picked up the remote to comply. "What channel?"

"Doesn't matter. It's on every station."

With a small pit of worry forming in her stomach from that remark, M'gann turned on the TV. They were greeted by the sight of Iris West who, normally sharing in her husband and nephew's optimistic and sparkling auras, had her face contorted in concern and what could only be disgust.

_"We can now confirm that the victim is indeed reclusive billionaire Joseph Powers. While his teenage son Derek (4) was found uninjured and unconscious in his room, Powers himself remains in critical condition after the vicious attack at his estate last night. While the authorities have ruled out robbery as a motive, sources report that this attack matches a series of similar attempted murders in Bludhaven. The suspect in those cases remains at large, and has been described as a slender man in black and gold attire. Like in the previous cases, Powers has suffered deep claw marks to his-"_

M'gann had to shut the TV off. She couldn't listen anymore. They had all known about what Dick had been doing since the day it started. And each time, he had simply vanished before any Leaguer or Team member got anywhere close to the scene. And each time the carnage left behind made her innards tie themselves in knots.

She couldn't understand how this happened. How had the cackling little boy she had been friends with for so many years fallen so far? And even though she knew Dick had his own reasons, she had to wonder what in God's name these people did to deserve this. Nothing had come up in the background checks that Batman and Red Robin ran on them. Nothing to suggest any criminal ties. And yet Dick had apparently bound and tortured seven, now eight different people for hours on end without reprieve, two of which were still in medically induced comas.

If things continued like this...

It's not like it would happen all at once, but sooner or later someone would make a request to the Justice League to help capture the man responsible. They'd have to bring Dick in. His identity would be revealed. Dick Grayson would be labeled a criminal.

And the Court will have won.

"Want to keep going on about how finding Dick isn't a priority?"

Neither alien could bring themselves to respond to that sharp remark as Tim strode out the front door and made his way to their Zeta Tube.

* * *

**Bruce**

Bruce didn't feel like he should bother getting out of bed. He hadn't gone to Wayne Enterprises in days. And besides Batman, who only came out in the dead of night, there was absolutely no one else who wanted or needed him. And Bruce Wayne was no fool. He knew full well that what he was going through was clinical depression.

But he couldn't bring himself to care one iota.

He was lost.

He was alone.

His boys all gone, through his own faults.

Dick, who he had betrayed.

Jason, who he had failed.

Tim, who he had let down.

Without them, a void feeling had settled in his chest that had managed become foreign over the years. His sons had always managed to give him a purpose beyond his revenge driven need for justice. They had saved him, far more than he ever did for them. Bruce had always told himself that he was above allowing himself to cross the line by killing another human being, but who was he kidding? If it weren't for the constant spark of life that his children added to him just by being in their presence, he would have crossed that line a long time ago.

And all it took was losing each and every one of them for him to acknowledge just how important they all were.

Now he had no way of fixing that void. Jason was gone. Killed by the Joker. Even if he were alive today, Jason would no doubt join Tim in his hatred for Bruce the instant he found out what their father had done. As for Tim, he had come to terms with the fact that even if they managed to make their peace with each other, Batman and Robin were done. They would never again be what they once were. And nothing he could do would ever change that.

As for Dick...Dick was another matter altogether. He had known that boy since he was eight. Raised him, trained him, and loved him for over a decade now. He knew Dick's character. And he knew the boy would eventually forgive him. Bruce by no means thought he deserved forgiveness, but that's just who Dick was. No matter how horribly Bruce wronged him, Dick always managed to forgive him for his wrongdoings. Bruce had no idea where it came from. The boy simply refused to let himself stay mad at his guardian. Truly, the young man he took in all those years ago was a godsend.

So yes, Dick would forgive him.

But Bruce would never forgive himself.

Bruce refused to allow himself to wallow in his failures any further. Bruce Wayne was simply not designed to sit around doing nothing. Even if it meant going into the Batcave and trying aimlessly to find Dick. Of course, at this point his leads had dried up, which meant that he would wind up reading the exact same files and news articles he had read three times before.

He made his way down the stairs at an agonizingly slow pace, having no real energy to move. As he made his way to the grandfather clock in the main room, he halted when he saw a figure move in the corner of his eye. It was gone in an instant, moving into the kitchen. Bruce nearly leapt for joy. There was only one person who still came to the Manor. And it was someone he desperately needed right now. He rushed towards the kitchen, having is hopes fulfilled as he found Alfred just walking in.

The older man turned to him, no doubt out of reflex from hearing another person enter the room. As usual, his expression would not change in the slightest, though something in his eyes told Bruce that Alfred was not happy to see him.

The butler recomposed himself right away and stood up straight. "My pardon, Master Bruce. I was under the impression you were still in bed. I'll return later." He then immediately proceeded to turn around and walk away from his employer.

"Alfred wait!" Bruce practically screamed. He knew that it would be this way. He knew just about every person he talked to for the foreseeable future would regard him this way. He couldn't argue that he didn't deserve it, but he desperately needed help. Their resentment would have to wait.

Alfred turned to him again with eyes as close to a bat-glare as Bruce had ever seen them get. "Master Bruce I really must-"

" _Please_." Bruce interrupted, exasperation clear in his voice. "Just listen to me. This isn't Batman coming to you. This is Bruce right now. I don't blame you for hating me. After what I did...you should hate me. Everyone should. But I'm _begging_ you to just talk to me. I _need_ you. I..." Bruce trailed off before finding the strength to finish his statement. "I need my friend."

Alfred's expression softened in the slightest manor possible. For a moment he no longer saw the Dark Knight, scourge of Gotham. He saw the little boy whose parents were gunned down in front of him. He begrudgingly took pulled out a seat at the table for Bruce before getting started on a pot of tea. It was the first thing he did whenever there was a long conversation ahead of him. "Have a seat Master Bruce."

Bruce complied with Alfred's unofficial order and sat down, allowing a shudder of relief to slip past his defenses. At least they weren't avoiding each other now.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Alfred poured out two cups of tea.

"For clarification Master Bruce, I don't hate you. I could _never_ hate you." Alfred said as he laid the cup down in front of Bruce.

"Oh?" Bruce said with no small amount of hope bubbling in his chest as he sipped at the tea.

"Never. No matter what may pass within these walls, I could not bring myself to hate you even if I tried. But I am..." Alfred trailed off, as he stirred a spoon in his own tea. "I'm...disappointed."

The hope in his chest melted away and was replaced by the feeling of a knife twisting around his insides. That statement alone was almost as bad as hearing his oldest friend declare his undying hatred for him.

"Now then." Alfred said as he took as seat across from Bruce and cleared his throat. "How may I assist you Master Bruce?"

Bruce leaned his elbows against the table (despite knowing how much it had to annoy Alfred given the man's pet peeve about proper table etiquette) and hid his face in his hands. He let out a very long breath before allowing himself to say the words that had weighed heavily on his mind from the moment that Dick left the Manor that night.

"I did something horribly wrong. Something unforgivable. And I have no idea how I can ever hope to make it right again." He said, and by God, it felt like he had just been released from holding up a mountain. Just admitting it out loud offered more relief than he could have anticipated, and having someone with him that might be willing to help only added on to it.

Alfred nodded slowly as he picked up his cup of tea. "That is, perhaps, not unlike what Master Dick felt after he killed Anthony Zucco." (3)

And just like that it felt like the mountain had been thrown back onto his shoulders. Dear Lord, how had he not seen that?! This suffocating shame and guilt must be nothing compared to what Dick was going through on a daily basis. Bruce knew for a fact that if _he_ himself had been manipulated into killing someone...anyone...even the man who killed his parents, he would never be able to recover. Moreover, just knowing that Alfred was disappointed with him was pure hell. And again it was nothing compared to how he had treated Dick. How could he ever hope to help Dick when he couldn't seem to do anything right?

"God Alfred." The Dark Knight whispered with his head bowed in shame. "What am I going to do? How can I ever hope to fix this?"

There was no judgement in Alfred's eyes as he spoke. Only understanding and patience, the type of which was nothing short of miraculous considering Bruce's latest blunders not only with Dick, but with Barbara and Tim as well. "May I be blunt sir?"

"I would have it no other way." Bruce said honestly as he rose his head to look at the man who raised him in the eye.

Alfred took a long sip of tea before setting it down as he spoke. "First, you need to be prepared for the possibility that Masters Richard and Timothy will never forgive you. If you set out on this, you cannot have any ulterior motives. It must solely be Master Dick's best interest, and nothing else."

Bruce nodded in confirmation, which was all Alfred needed to continue.

"Secondly, there can be no judgement on your part. You acknowledge that you made a mistake, but that is simply not good enough on its' own. Master Dick was forced to do horrible things, but in doing so he sparred many people the suffering that the Court of Owls would have put them through. But that knowledge on his part is without doubt cold comfort. As you know I was a member of the Secret Intelligence Service in England, and I had to take the lives of others during my tenure there. And there will always be a part of me that is haunted by those deeds. I imagine Master Richard feels the same way. You must be prepared to abandon your precious ethics and tell him that he was in the right when he did what he did."

Bruce nodded again without hesitation. He had known that from the start, and it was no longer something he would simply say to get Dick back. It was now something he truly believed.

"And finally sir, you must come to him as his father, not as Batman. As you know, I objected strenuously to the inception of Robin since you first suggested the prospect. But perhaps you don't know the true reason. Make no mistake sir, I was indeed concerned about the boy's safety, and will continue to be regardless of his age. But the core reason behind my displeasure was that I thought the boy needed a father more than he needed justice. Now perhaps I was wrong. Who can say? But I know it to be a fact that if you truly desire what is best for Master Dick you must be there as a father for him. And that means you must be willing to put Batman to rest."

To his shame, that one made Bruce pause. Could he do that? He was loathed to admit it, but he _needed_ Batman. He _needed_ justice. He...

Bruce sighed. Who was he kidding? That was a crutch. He had long since deluded himself that there was no life for him beyond Batman. For most of his life that was true. There was the facade of his drunken playboy, but besides that his vigilante life was the only life that mattered. It had been that way for a long time.

And then there was Dick.

Dick had allowed him to incorporate a side of himself to his public image that was not at false. The image of a father who loved his son. Jason and Tim allowed him to do the same, but...as ashamed to admit it as Bruce was, Dick was his favorite. Without Dick, he never would have met Tim, nor would he have even considered taking in the small child that had jacked the tires off his car.

Dick saved him. He allowed a beacon of light to enter his life once again.

And Bruce had repaid him with betrayal.

If he ever wanted to make this right, he had to be willing to let the cowl fall to the ground, and lock up the cave for good.

Again, Bruce nodded.

"Very good sir." Alfred said. He gave a small pause before giving one last piece of advice. "There is something else. We both know Master Dick to be the most joyous and bright person on this Earth, something he has clearly lost sight of. If you wish to bring that back to him...

...then you will need someone who is all too familiar with brightness and joy."

* * *

**Wally**

Wally had nearly forgotten how much he loved running.

The wind blasting through his ginger hair, the feeling miles passing beneath his feet in a matter of minutes, the pure adrenaline rush that accompanied the impact he felt as he broke through the sound barrier...

Why had he ever given it up?

But as he had learned recently, being a speedster was much more fun than having to take care of them.

He was currently running throughout the house to keep pace with the newly dubbed 'Tornado Toddlers'. Iris had gone into labor early, which had sent everyone into a panic. Barry had been vibrating in his seat so much that he nearly shifted through the floor. So they were thanked God when both twins came out perfectly healthy. They thanked God slightly less when they discovered that the twins had inherited Barry's powers.

It was actually a bit funny in the beginning. They were crawling before most kids their age did. That itself was not so unusual. Hyperactive heroes made for hyperactive kids. The giveaway was the morning that the twins vibrated out of their cribs because they were hungry. The entire household was caught somewhere between awe and laughter as the Don and Dawn speed-crawled throughout the house.

That had been adorable. This was a nightmare. Because recently, they had taken their first steps. And while that was normally a treasures moment for normal families, it was a complete and utter horror for theirs. Again they had to blame Barry's powers. The twins were just nearing seven months old. They should _not_ have been walking already! But it seemed they were far to eager to expend the energy bubbling beneath the surface.

Wally and his parents all decided to move in with Barry and Iris until further notice to help with the twins. Taking care of infant meta-humans, as it turned out, was easily a five person job. Bart helped too, but that proved to be an annoyance in and of itself since someone _always_ had to remind him to stop calling Don 'dad' and Dawn 'aunt Dawn'. That would make for some very weird formative memories.

That said, Wally could not have been more grateful to the aforementioned teen as the twins sped around the corner only to be caught and yanked up into the arms of their son/nephew. "Gotcha!"

Wally allowed himself to collapse onto the floor, feeling completely drained after that long chase. "Thanks Bart. Never thought I'd hate running around so much."

Bart let out a large laugh as he sped upstairs to put the twins back in their cribs, for however long that might last. "You said the same thing about chasing me down when I was little!"

"Then future me knew what he was doing." Wally said under his breath as he managed to heave himself up off the ground.

Wally had spent the last few months easing himself back into the hero life. Incidentally, that caused him to get closer to his once removed cousin.

Barry had wanted Bart to have a normal life, so with some help from Batman, the two had constructed a false identity for Bart as being a distant relative of the Allen's who was recently orphaned and came to live with them. Wally had expected a much more elaborate construct, just like they had done for Dick's "kidnapping". That said, the Allens were hardly in the public spotlight like the Wayne family was were. Aside from Iris' job as a news anchor, no one knew who they were. A faked birth certificate here and some adoption papers there, and just like that Bart Allen was a citizen of the twenty first century.

Their hero lives were another matter. At first he was afraid that returning to the role of Kid Flash might make his cousin feel like he was trying to steal the title away from him. He briefly considered taking on a new name and allowing Bart to remain as his uncle's protege, but Barry came up with a pretty cool solution. Since both were in school and were also assisting with the babies, they would wear the suit in sequence. Wally would be Kid Flash one week, then Bart the next. Luckily the two were similar enough in height and build that the public didn't seem to notice the difference. And Bart's brown hair was light enough that one could mistake it for ginger red in the right light.

And between the apprehension of criminals and the constant torment that was school, Wally managed to get to know his cousin much better. And he had to admit, he really did love the new addition to their ever growing family. Apparently, Wally had mentored Bart in his timeline, so it was nothing new for the younger of the two. Regardless, Wally found himself enjoying his time with Bart, whether it was helping him out with science homework or giving him advice on how to bring down the bad guys.

And soon, it was entirely possible he would be mentoring Bart in a much more literal capacity. During the Arctic mission, he had absorbed no small amount kinetic energy form the Reach's device. He would have died, if Bart and Barry hadn't pushed him out of the way at the last minute. But it seemed there was a secondary effect.

He was faster. Much _much_ faster. He hadn't realized at first since he and Artemis went back into retirement, but Wally could now keep pace with the other speedsters. More than that, he could actually outrun them! It was his dream come true.

And speaking of dreams come true, he and Barry recently had a very interesting conversation. Barry was considering hanging up the red suit to take care of the twins. And he had asked Wally if he'd be interested in filling in as the Flash. Wally vibrated so fast in excitement that he broke through the sound barrier and promptly shattered the windows in the living room. He couldn't believe it! This was all he had ever wanted since becoming Kid Flash! Unlike Dick, he wanted to become exactly like his mentor.

At the thought of his best friend though, Wally's enthusiasm deflated.

He still didn't comprehend how it all fell apart so fast. Dick loved Bruce like the man truly was his father. For years, the Caped Crusader had been just that in all but blood. How could he betray Dick's trust like that?

Batman's betrayal of his son wasn't the only thing weighing heavily on his mind though. He and Dick weren't telepaths, but they had been so in mesh as kids that they usually had a pretty good sense of what the other was thinking in a given situation. Now it was like that connection was gone. He had no idea where to find Dick. No idea where to even start. No idea why Dick was doing this.

The soon-to-be Flash was yanked from his thoughts as he heard a knock at the front door. "I'll get it!" He yelled to his cousin, who was still upstairs. Wally ran towards the door and pulled it open hastily, expecting to see Barry, Iris, or perhaps even Artemis. But the moment he saw who the uninvited guest was, he had to suppress the urge to slam the door right back in his face.

Because on his front steps, Bruce Wayne stood with his ever-present stoic expression.

"We need to talk."

* * *

**Dick**

Dick hated having to go out in the day time. His advanced vision did not mix well with the influx of sunlight he had to deal with now that it was spring. The only plus side was that he didn't have to deal with the cold anymore. Either way, it seemed his body refused to relax after all the...'adjustments' the Court made to it. It made sense. Talons weren't built for relaxation. They were made for battle. For death.

And on occasion, observation. At least, that was what Dick was doing now. He was currently seated on the roof of one of the largest buildings in Central City. It was providing for a perfect vantage point to peer into the skyscraper he was currently starring down. Or rather, one of the meeting rooms within that skyscraper. And within it, a lone man giving what appeared to be a long winded speech to a room full of sharply dressed individuals. It reminded Dick of the summer he had interned at Wayne Enterprises.

Dick let out a small chuckle of fondness at the memory. He may have stayed true to his word and worked the entire summer, but it was within the first week that he decided the day he became a business major would be the day the Joker became an upstanding member of society. He hated every second of it. The formal wear. The paperwork. The worst by far were the slide glances and whispers about 'Bruce's gypsy ward' every time someone thought he wasn't listening. He got enough of that during Bruce's mandatory galas. To this day he refused to understand how Bruce put up with it, or how Tim actually _enjoyed_ the thought of taking over for Bruce at Wayne Enterprises when he was older.

Dick briefly allowed his mind to wander to how his family was doing. Tim, ever the detective, was no doubt spending every waking, caffeine-fueled hour looking for him. For some reason he couldn't find it in himself to picture what Alfred or Bruce might be doing. It had been so long since he last saw either of them. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to...

Dick shook his head back and forth to clear himself of such thoughts. No! That part of his life was over now. He was a Talon. Talons did not have families. They did not have friends. They had their mission. That was all there was to give their existence any sort of purpose. And that was all that mattered now.

And so the Gray Son of Gotham went back to watching the ma-

 _Target!_ It was better not to humanize them.

He went back to watching his _target_ finish his speech until the people seated in front of his gave a slow applause. At that Dick allowed himself to put down his binoculars. His target would be leaving the building soon. From there he could follow him back to his loft and do what needed to be done.

That was the plan at least. Dick knew that it wouldn't go as he planned within moments of putting down the binoculars. He let out a sigh and lowered his gaze. "You know, when I came to Central I honestly expected Wally to be the one to show up."

He then turned his gaze to the vigilante who had nearly caught him unawares. "What do you want, Tigress?"

* * *

**Artemis**

Artemis felt a downwards tug at the corner of her lips at the use of her code name. It was no so much the use of the name, though it did sting a bit, as the tone with which it was uttered. Dick sounded so...detached. As though they were strangers. To an outside observer, one would never guess that the two of them had met before now, much less been close friends growing up.

"So that's all I am to you?" She asked with her arms crossed. "I'm just Tigress now?"

"No names in the field." He responded curtly before turning back to the building and raising his binoculars to his eyes.

She sighed as it became apparent he was just going to do his best to act like she wasn't even there. "How did you know it was me anyway?" The archer asked in an effort to keep the conversation going.

"Talons have enhanced senses. You should really know better than to wear perfume on patrol." The young assassin said despondently, not bothering to turn around. "Lilacs. I find it quite acrid."

Artemis narrowed her gaze on him. "I don't know about that. Lilacs can't be worse than the flowers you sent Babs."

It was a horrible thing to say, but it needed to be said.

The whole Team had come to see and comfort Barbara in the hospital after she lost the use of her legs. She put on a brave face for them but they could see just how devastated she was knowing that her days as Batgirl were over. And Dick was the one thing that kept her going, or at least one of the key devices to her sustaining her optimism. The poor girl had been convinced that Dick would come see her at the hospital, and from there she would be able to convince him to come home. Then at least something good could come out of what happened to her.

The Team warned her to temper her enthusiasm, but she paid them no mind. Instead she stayed up all night, every night waiting for Dick to show up. But eventually her exhaustion got the better of her. It broke Artemis' heart to find Barbara sobbing relentlessly and shamelessly into her pillow the following morning. At first no one knew what the problem was as Barbara wouldn't talk to them. Finally, someone pulled their attention away from the crying girl and looked to the small table beside her window.

And suddenly, it was clear why she was upset. There had been no visit from Dick. And there wouldn't be any time soon.

On her table was a bouquet of beautiful flowers. White roses. Barbara's favorite. And next to it was a simple note with three words scrawled across it in Dick's handwriting.

_I'm so sorry._

Everyone had stared at it without saying a word, even as Artemis walked over and promptly threw them out the window.

Back in the present day, Dick had the decency to flinch under her accusatory tone and lower his head in shame. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah I know. We all read the heartfelt apology you left on the back of an index card." Artemis said, refusing to give him a break. She knew that he had gone through something terrible over the last year, but none of it was an excuse for how he just abandoned Barbara right when she needed him the most.

Again Dick cringed away from her words. Eventually though, she saw him work up the nerve to turn away from the building and face her, but he still kept his gaze anywhere but her eyes. "How is she?"

At that Artemis found her anger towards him lessen, if only a bit. She allowed her tone and expression to soften as well. Only enough so that Dick would just barely notice. "Go see her and find out for yourself."

Dick did a complete one-eighty both physically and emotionally at her suggestion and swept around the ledge of the roof to face the skyscraper again. "She doesn't want me there." He said robotically.

It took all of Artemis' willpower to not walk over and shove Dick off the rooftop then and there. Because what the actual fuck? Was he screwing with her? Babs had cried for him! Barbara Gordon, easily one of the strongest people either of them had ever met, _fucking cried_ for him! And he had to balls to say that it was because she didn't want to see him?! "What the hell kind of detective are you?! She's been asking for you from day one! And she's been inconsolable for days because you thought _flowers_ were a good substitute for you actually having the decency to help her through this! What's _wrong_ with you?!"

Dick didn't make a single sound nor motion during her entire tirade. It was only when she stopped to catch her breath that he spoke, his voice like ice. "You don't understand. She doesn't want to see _me_. She wants to see Dick Grayson. And I can't do that for her."

The orange-clad archer wasn't sure what made it happen. Whether it was the statement that he was no longer that person, or the icy tone with which he delivered it. She only knew it stunned her into a still silence. She wished to God that she could continue screaming though. Scream at him that it wasn't true. That Dick Grayson was very much alive, and that he was sitting right in front of her. That he was still a good person, and still a hero. But her voice betrayed her and refused to come out.

Ultimately it was Dick who had to break the silence between them. "You never did answer my question. How did you manage to keep Wally from coming? I would have thought for sure that..." Dick trailed off, but he flipped around the ledge again and his eyes glazed over her. "This whole thing is unsanctioned." It clearly wasn't a question.

Something in her expression must have changed, though she had no idea what it was. Regardless, that microscopic change in her features was enough for Dick to go on.

"In fact...no one knows you're here."

Artemis kept a hardened look on her face in an effort to make it harder for him to read her so easily. "Not a soul. If Wally came, he would have gone too easy on you. I don't plan on pulling punches."

"Clearly." Dick responded sharply. "How did you even know I was here?"

"Your pattern was easier to pick up on then you might think." Artemis said, careful with every word she uttered next. "Those people, your _victims_...same profile. Wealthy socialites from families that have their fortune passed down from one heir apparent to the next. That pattern was harder to follow in Gotham. You have way too many rich snobs down there. But Central? We have all of two, and you nearly killed one of them last night. And now, you're staring down the office building owned by the other."

Dick squinted at her to try and study her expression again, though she refused to let it give anything away this time. "Is this a social call, or are you here to bring me in?"

And with that Artemis' firm hold on keeping her emotions at bay dissolved. Her lips cast downwards as she looked at the boy who had trolled her nearly everyday at Gotham Academy. She was ashamed to admit it, and would never say it out loud, but it was hard to believe that they were one in the same. Besides the obvious lack of blue eyes and dark skin, this Dick was too different from the one she knew.

Dick Grayson never stayed down. He took everything with a grain of salt and kept on fighting. He was traught, whelmed, heveled, chalant, and always felt the aster. The young man before her was simply too... _hollow_ to be Dick. He didn't have any light left to him. No spark of life whatsoever. He didn't radiate cheer and confidence and mischief. He gave off absolutely but despair and dread.

And most importantly, his bond with his friends had been unbreakable. He never would have let Babs suffer in silence due to his own problems. He never would have turned his back on Tim no matter how bad things were with Bruce. And most importantly, he would never think so little of Artemis as to accuse her of just being there to apprehend him.

"I'm here to help you, you idiot." She pleaded, praying that her words would get through that incredibly dense skull of his. "Look, Bruce and Tim have both been off their games for this whole thing because it involves you. They missed something pretty big, but I know the truth. Me and Jade anyway-"

"Jade?" Dick asked with an arched brow.

"She owed me a favor after that fiasco with the deep cover mission. She used the Shadow's resources to dig up what she could on these people. And I know they were hardly innocent victims. For every single one of them, their fortune is blood money down to the last red cent. Trading in illegal arms, extortion, human trafficking, the works. And they're rich enough to be untouched by the court system. I get why you went after them. But Dick...there are lines. Boundaries that even we shouldn't cross. Come back to us and we can bring them down the right way."

Dick remained silent and didn't move an inch as she spoke. She found that difference unsettling as well. Dick had always been extremely hyperactive, especially in his Robin days. But now he could remain as still as a statue. He didn't even have to breathe. It was nerve-wracking.

Dick let out a sigh through his nose and swept a hand through his dark locks. "'Their fortune is blood money.' 'Bringing them down the right way.'" He whispered softly. "I wish it were that simple."

Artemis groaned in frustration. She had a feeling he would respond like this. And she had a pretty good idea of why that was.

"They're Owls, aren't they?"

Dick's entire posture seemed to seize up and his head snapped up to look at her with his wide yellow eyes not making any move to blink. She didn't really need a straightforward answer after that. He might as well have shouted 'of course they are' from the rooftop.

"How did you-" He started before she cut him off.

"They're all the one percent of the one percent through ill gotten gains. They're all reclusive and from the oldest families in Gotham, even though two of them moved to Central. Plus there's that guy you attacked the other night, Joseph Powers. His wife Maria is an Owl. She's the one that M'gann posed as the night we stormed the Court. It's really not that hard to put together. Unless you're Bruce or Tim. A fellow bat gets compromised, and common sense goes out the window with you people."

Dick looked down again and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He wasn't sure what to say now. Was he supposed to justify what he had done now? How should he go about doing that? It was impossible to make her understand. Any attempt would be fruitless.

He wanted to make her understand though. He wanted them all to understand.

He wanted them to understand that this was something that he needed. Something that the Owls all deserved. That it wasn't just his life they had ruined, but countless children all across the world by turning them into Talons, not to mention that it included generations and generations of his own family. That he had wanted to do this from the day they pulled him out of the Court, but hadn't had the stomach for it until Bruce renounced him. That as long as there was a single man in a white mask out there, he would never feel safe again.

But it just didn't work like that. Because that was all a product of what the Owls did to him, and what he did for the Owls. And while he might be able to make her understand his motives, and Roy was able to understand his actions, he could never hope to make another human being understand what he went through completely. How could he when he couldn't even describe it to himself?

How does one describe the impact of isolation? Of torture? Of mutilation?

How could he ever hope to convey what it was like to feel the life drain from his body, to feel death's embrace, only to be reanimated as a monster?

How could he tell her that he woke up every single day praying to whatever god might exist that this would be the day someone came for him, but no one ever did?

And as awful as it was, a part of him hated them all for not finding him sooner. It was an awful feeling, and his conscious mind knew it was nonsense, but the feeling was there nonetheless.

"I don't suppose you came here to tell me you approve?" He tried. Surely such a vain attempt was better than trying to recount five months worth of torment.

Artemis' dark eyes softened into a pained look that burned his skin. He knew that look all too well. It was pity.

And he _hated_ it.

"You know I can't condone something like this." Now she was speaking to him like a child who punched a kid that was bullying him.

He somehow managed to keep the anger out of his voice as he responded. "I didn't really expect you to. I can live with that. Do you think you'd at least be able to keep you're head down and ignore it?"

Admittedly, he had a bit of sharpness and sarcasm left in his voice at the end of question. It didn't translate well.

"Are you seriously asking for my _blessing_ to go out and torture any Owl you can get your hands on?"

Well, at least the pity was gone from her voice. It had been replaced with no small amount of awe and disbelief. "I'm asking you to stay out of my way." He bit back.

He heard Artemis sigh and nearly growled at the return of the pity she was emanating. "I'm not going to do that either Dick." She said with a sad and downright _condescending_ tone. "Now I understand that-"

"NO YOU FUCKING DON'T!" He screamed savagely as he rounded on her. His patience was completely eroded now. Some part of the old Richard Grayson cringed in the back of his mind and berated him for treating his friend like that, but the Talon side of him was in control right now.

Artemis nearly screamed in fear and was unashamed to admit that she stumbled back and nearly fell over as yellow eyes narrowed in on her like an owl starring down its prey.

"You and Wally and Tim and Babs! You all _think_ you get it! You'll never get it! You don't understand what I went through! You don't understand what I felt! And you don't understand what I feel! And I'm allowed to cope with that any way I damn well please! And if that means I have to hunt the Owls down one by one and make them feel some fraction of the pain I went through then you have to find some way to deal with that, because _nothing_ is going to change my mind! And until you have to endure what I did-! Until _you_ wake up ever morning _begging_ that this will be the day they rescue you, you have _no right_ to judge me!"

Artemis just stood their frozen in place well after his screaming stopped. It was unsettling that he didn't have to catch his breath at all after something like that. Of course, he didn't breathe anymore.

She didn't know why she was surprised. According to Tim, violent outbursts weren't that uncommon since Dick's return. Of course, that had been before Bruce's betrayal. And while Tim had assured her that Dick's bouts of rage were usually short lived and were immediately followed by a string of apologies. But she saw no signs of that. Dick kept his vicious golden gaze focused on her until he turned to stare down the office building again.

Only now did it dawn on Artemis that she had clearly underestimated just how much Bruce had gotten to him that night, and just how much he had changed since then.

"Damn it." Dick muttered under his breath as he tossed the binoculars aside. "You almost made me miss him. He's leaving now."

Without saying another word Dick slipped on the Talon hood and made way to the next rooftop, but stopped in his tracks when an arrow flew past his head and embedded itself in the brick wall ahead of him. He growled and turned back to Artemis, who had her bow raised and another arrow already laced.

"You know I can't let you leave with what you're intending to do." She said, clearly trying to keep the resolve clear in her voice. Still, Dick wanted to snort. He could see the hand that was gripping the bow shake ever so slightly. He could notice the way her lower lip was curved into her mouth so she could bite down on it. He could just make out the ever so small amount of sweat run down her temple.

Artemis would make an awful poker player. A child could take apart her tells.

Dick slowly approached her, Artemis following his every move with hostile interest. She truly could not tell if he intended to attack her, or even, she realized with the feeling of ice crawling up her veins, whether or not he had any intention of letting her survive the encounter.

Once he was within arms length, he moved faster than she could react. His clawed hand shot forth and grabbed the bow by the handle, as well as the head of the arrow she had knotted. His enhanced strength allowed him to crush the both of them in the one hand, before yanking the remnants from her grip and tossing to the side.

"And what will you do to stop me?" He asked with a snarl.

Without hesitating, Artemis yanked the katana at her side from its' sheath and pointed it at the center of his chest. "Whatever I have to Nightwing." And she meant every word. She refused to let him cross the line any further. Someone had to save him from himself before he took it too far.

But that someone would not be her.

Dick's glower remained fixed on her eyes, even as he reached up and grabbed the sword by the blade. At first Artemis believed that he would crush it in his hand like he did the bow and arrow, but instead he actually pulled it towards him. With a screech, Artemis was lurched forward as the end of her blade sank directly into Dick's heart. Her grip on the sword completely gave out and her arms went slack to her side, her brain still catching up with what she was bearing witness to. That dread continued to swell in her chest as Dick then yanked the blade back out and dropped it carelessly to the ground as the wound to his chest sealed up leaving a small trail of black discharge in its' place.

"Don't..."

Dick surged past her and rounded back in an instant, pulling her into a headlock before she could even blink.

"...call me..."

Artemis fought as hard as she could to break the hold of Dick's forearm around her neck, but he simply refused to budge. The hold only got tighter. It was getting hard to breathe.

"...Nightwing!"

Black spots began to disperse across her vision. Her lungs were screaming for air. Artemis did her best to call out her friends name, to beg him to stop, but only a small whimper passed her lips. She was faintly aware of the choke hold being loosened which caused her to drop to the ground without ceremony.

Artemis opened her eyes, but all she could make out was a black figure fading away into the distance.

And then everything went dark.

* * *

**Bruce**

Bruce had always had a very odd relationship with Wally. The boy had been his son's best friend practically from the moment that they first met. But like most heroes, the persona of Batman had a tendency to make the young red head feel ill at ease. And Bruce had refused to drop that persona even for Wally.

Wally tended to avoid Bruce at all costs whenever he came over to the Manor, which was no doubt a product of the anxiety that Batman induced. The boy did certainly seem to get more comfortable around Bruce as he got older though.

But now it seemed the shoe was on the other foot.

Wally had walked away from him immediately, leaving the door open as he did so. At first Bruce debated with himself whether or not he should walk in, only for the young man to sharply ask him if he was coming in or not. Knowing that was the closest thing to an invitation he could hope for, Bruce walked in and followed Wally to the kitchen, where the young speedster immediately went to doing the dishes as though Bruce wasn't even there.

At one point Bart came down to ask who was at the door, only to freeze in his tracks when he saw the billionaire currently sitting at their kitchen table, his cousin with his back turned to him. Wally only told his cousin to go back upstairs and finish his homework, the words coming out more harshly than he intended. Bart bolted back up the stairs with nervous energy and left them alone once again.

And now it was Bruce who was on edge in Wally's presence. He could have cut the tension in the room with a knife. He could only imagine what was going through Wally's mind right now, and had to imagine that a majority of them involved conjuring up the most violent way possible to get Bruce off the property. Bruce managed to pull himself from such musings though, his whole being snapping to attention when Wally finally spoke.

"You know Bruce I never took you for the humorous type. Dick swore to me that you wouldn't know a good joke if it bit you in the cape. But I have to say, this is a good one." Wally didn't so much as glance up at Bruce as he spoke, completely focused on what he was doing. Bruce was close to asking what he was talking about before Wally continued, his voice like ice. "Dick's always been a troll. And I always wondered how he was able to keep that up when he was living in the same house as someone as macabre and serious as you. But none of his little pranks or jokes have ever lived up to this."

Now Wally put down the dishes and turned around to face Bruce. The jovial warmth that normally emanated from the ginger's emerald orbs was completely gone. In it's place, there was only contempt. "You _destroyed_ your son, my best friend. Broke him more than the Owls ever did. And now here you are, showing up at my doorstep, and saying we need to talk. There's no greater joke in the world than that."

Bruce had been keeping his eyes lowered for the entire speech. Not only was Wally right to call him out, the young speedster also needed this. A release valve for everything that he had been keeping inside since the day Dick left. Though simple verbal abuse surely wasn't enough. He was sure that Wally would much rather break his jaw. And if he went for it, Bruce knew he wouldn't have it in him to fight back.

Slowly, he brought up his eyes to meet Wally's, refusing to let himself be swayed by the anger he found there. "I need your help."

"And it just gets funnier."

Bruce's resolve stayed firm, and would not allow for jabs like that to stop him now. "I realize I have no right to ask, but you are the only one that can make a difference now."

Wally raised a single ginger brow. He was still fighting off the temptation to demand the older man to get the hell off the property, and was more than willing to help him out if that failed. But something told him not to. Bruce had come to him of all people. Not Tim or Babs or someone in the League that might give him the time of day. And he didn't even show up with the cowl. Bruce Wayne had come to Wally West. Something had changed, that much was certain. And he wasn't going to allow a petty grudge to get in the way of helping his best friend.

"How so?"

Bruce swallowed. "We both know that Dick takes what I think and what I say to heart. I don't like it anymore than you do, but he does. And it's because of what I said that he's doing this. That's all on me, and I doubt what I have to say will change that anymore. But besides me, _you_ are the only person that ever came close to penetrating that barrier. You may be the only person who can get through to him when we find him."

"That's pretty optimistic coming from you." Wally interrupted. "'When we find him'? He's evaded us for months. You think some speech about the power of our friendship is going to magically give us a lead?"

"No. I think that the Team getting over how much they hate me, at least for the time being, will give us a lead. It's the only hope we have left. We have to work together on this."

Wally scoffed. "And how do you plan on making that happen? The Team loathes you. Moreover, don't let the fact I'm allowing you to sit in my kitchen lead you to believe _I've_ forgiven you. I'll put it aside for Dick's sake, but I don't think the rest of the Team will be that understanding. Not unless I..."

Wally began to trail off until his emerald eyes lit up with realization, then squinted back into a scowl that was focused squarely on Bruce. "Oh, I see. I should have known that's the real reason you're here. You don't need me to play at being Dick's conscience. You actually have the balls to ask me to vouch for you to the Team."

Bruce stood up and held up his hands in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "It's not like that."

"It's exactly like that!" Wally shouted. "You're good Bruce! You're really good! For half a second I actually bought your load of crap about wanting to help Dick! You just want a rallying cry! Something to get the League behind you again!"

"That's not what this is Wally!" Bruce reaffirmed. He of course knew the young man would perceive it that way. Why wouldn't he? He had no reason to trust Bruce. And it wasn't as though Batman never had ulterior motives. But it just wasn't like that. If they did find Dick, and he allowed that hatred for him to swell in the back of their minds for it, it would be a disaster. Exactly like what happened to Barbara all over again.

"Why should I believe that? Why should I believe anything you say?" Wally countered, before going for a spot that he knew would hurt Bruce. "Maybe you just want us to find Dick so you can lock him away. You certainly made it clear that-"

"Enough!"

"Oh I'm just getting started! You abandoned him Bruce! Your own son! He idolized you! He loved you! He trusted you! And you betrayed him! Why?! Because his best wasn't good enough?! Because it turns out he's not perfect?! Because _you_ weren't able to protect him from the Court?!"

Wally felt like his heart would explode in his chest from just how much screaming he had gone through. He had to actually stop and gasp for air at one point. Bruce just stayed there and starred at him for all of it. A part of him thought that he may choose to leave, but the speedster had no such luck. He probably should have taken into consideration just how stubborn the man was before allowing him inside.

"You failed him." Wally said, in a much more modulated tone as he caught his breath. "You failed him. You have no right to ask me for anything."

Bruce stayed quiet only long enough for Wally to finish. Once he was done, he took his chance to speak. "I'm sorry. I'm more sorry for what I did to Dick than you could ever imagine, or than I could ever hope to make right. I won't make excuses for that because there are none. But you're wrong about everything else. I don't care about restoring my status with the League. That ship has sailed. But if we are going to do this, I can't let lingering resentment cause someone else to go into the hospital with a severed spine."

"And why should I believe that?" Wally repeated. "Tim was right. You have always cared about Batman more than-"

"Because I'm leaving Batman behind."

That statement completely knocked the wind out of Wally. Batman? Quitting? Was that even possible? Sure, Wally wished he had once he heard what happened to Dick, but he could simply not picture the man with a life outside of the cowl.

"It's true." Bruce assured once he saw the disbelief written across the boy's face. "If there's one thing that this whole mess taught me, it's that Batman has been doing more harm than good. I'm not going to let my pride blind me to that fact anymore. After we get Dick back, that's the end for me. I'll fully commit myself to him and Tim, if they'll still have me. I don't expect them to, but I want them to know that. Please Wally. We rarely get the chance to atone for our mistakes. Let me at least try with Dick.

Wally's glare didn't lighten in the slightest as Bruce spoke. Even after he finished, Wally kept a hard look on him until he finally sighed and spoke up. "Okay." He relented. "Okay. Let's do this. But I want to make one thing clear. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for Dick. And knock it off with that 'I'll sacrifice Batman to make this happen' shit. I don't want that. Whether I like it or not, Gotham needs Batman. I'm not going to let thousands of people suffer just because you're an awful father. But I have a condition. When this is all said and done, you stay the hell away from Dick. You lost your rights to him when you chose Batman over him. He'll come live with me, or Roy, or anyone but you. I'm taking him away from your poisonous influence. If you truly want what's best for him, you won't fight me on this. And another thing. You never take in another protege. No more Robins. You've destroyed enough childhoods."

Bruce couldn't escape the logic of Wally's argument. He had four proteges. Among them, one was dead, one was paralyzed, another was on a path to self-destruction, and the last never wanted to speak to him again. By definition, it would be insane to repeat his mistake and expect a different result. Bruce also felt no small twinge of guilt. For one brief moment, he had a selfish bit of glee when Wally agreed that he should remain Batman. He needed that to ground him if his sons chose to never see him again.

Before either could discuss it further, they were pulled from their respective thoughts when the front door opened. "Wally?"

"Artemis?" He called back as footsteps approached them. "What are you doing home so-"

He stopped dead in his tracks when he his girlfriend walked in and he could see her fully. She looked fine for the most part. It would have been easy to miss. She was dressed in civvies after all. But right there, clear as day, was a massive bruise on her neck.

"Jesus!" He said as he sped towards her and gingerly touched the darkened skin. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Long story short, I found Dick." She said, stunning both males. If that wasn't enough to make their heads explode, what she said next was. "And it's _much_ worse than we could have imagined."

* * *

**Tim**

Red Robin was beginning to get anxious as the Team stood waiting in the Watchtower for Tigress and Kid Flash to arrive. He was expecting them to have arrived first, considering they were the two to call this meeting. And he wasn't sure how the League would feel if they walked in and saw all their young partners gathered together at the League's meeting table.

He could tell he wasn't the only one getting antsy. Everyone felt the anticipation bubbling in the room. Considering Kaldur was the leader of the Team, he was generally the one who would call such a meeting. And yet here they were, with no notification whatsoever as to what this whole thing was called for. Odder still was that Roy had been invited. He wanted to believe they had news about Nightwing, but there was also a part of him that was hoping that Wally had finally summoned up the courage and proposed already. If he did it within the next few weeks, Conner would owe him twenty bucks.

As it turned out, this was not a social call.

_Recognized: Tigress B 07; Kid Flash B 03_

Both aforementioned heroes came in through the Zeta tubes with somber expressions on their masked faces. Tim's own attitude sobered up immediately. This couldn't be good. Tim's detective skills also picked up on the fact that Tigress had a scarf added to her uniform which hid her neck from sight, despite the fact that it was the middle of spring. Well _that_ certainly wasn't suspicious. "Is everything okay?"

The couple shared a look before turning to the large group before them. "Define 'okay'." Wally said in an attempt to lighten the mood. "We...we have something that might help find Dick."

Tim gave them a stupefied look. He had been waiting two months for someone to say those words. "That's great!"

"Hold that thought." Artemis said as she punched in a few keys at the screen which operated the Zeta tubes. It struck Tim as odd. The only reason to do that was to welcome in an unauthorized guest. Who might that be?

Tim got his answer not an instant later, and his first thought was to eject the newcomer into space.

_Recognized: Batman 02_

Before he even finished materializing into the room, Red Robin stormed his way past the rest of the Team, as well as Wally and Artemis, and glared at the shimmering form as it began to take the shape of his father.

"You're not welcome here." He said, and by God. You could _hear_ the batglare in his voice. "Get. OUT!"

"Tim!" Wally said pleadingly. It wasn't like the speedster couldn't understand why Tim had reacted this way though. What everyone, especially Bruce, seemed to forget so easily was that it was not only Dick that Bruce had betrayed, but Tim as well. The boy had basically told Bruce that if the man loved him at all he wouldn't put Dick through this, and he had done it anyway. He had treated Tim like a co-conspirator in a murder just because he wanted to help his brother. He may actually have had more cause to hate Batman than Dick did. That said, Wally wanted the younger boy to at least hear him out for their mutual brother's sake.

Apparently, Tim didn't receive it that way.

Red Robin whipped around so fast that the feather blades that made up his cape screeched against the ground, and left well defined grooves in the once smooth granite. "What the hell were you thinking bringing him here? He quit the League. That means his right to be here has been forfeited."

"Tim I-" Batman started only to be cut off when his ward redirected his anger back towards him.

"No! You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. Do you know what excommunication even is Bruce? Let me remind you that it's what _you asked for_. You don't just come in here and act like the last few months never happened."

"If you would let me-"

"And what if I don't!" He interrupter again, giving in to juvenile impulse. "What will you do if I don't, Bruce? You're not a JLA member, I'm not your son, and I'm barely your ward!"

A knife twisted in his heart. Tim was right. He had more than enough opportunities to adopt both boys over the years. It would be such a simply act, and it would show the both of them just how much he loved them. But there was always a lingering fear that they would take offence to it. That they might perceive it as him trying to replace their respective fathers. That was the excuse anyway. The truth was that he had been selfish.

He had adopted Jason. That had been an easy choice. Jason's father was an absentee alcoholic. Jason had outright told him that he wished Bruce could have been his father instead of the one he got landed with. He had done it to make Jason happy, and pretended not to notice just how hurt Dick was when he found out about Jason's adoption.

Bruce could still remember it. It had been the day after Jason's birthday party. He had wanted to wait until they were alone to show Jason the paperwork, but the Team's party for him (courtesy of Wally and Dick, of course) had gone well into the night. Jason had still been eating breakfast when Bruce slipped him the yellow envelope. And if Bruce thought hard, he could still remember the fork in Jason's hand fall to the table as Jason stared at the papers with wide eyes, and then the ensuing, bone-crushing hug that followed. Jason had declared then that it was the best day of his life.

And then Jason had died.

Some part of Bruce thought that he had jinxed it. That there was some cosmic force that refused to let him have living relatives. Or perhaps the way he had treated Jason as his son had caused the young boy to slip up. Either way, he had decided by the end of the funeral that it would somehow be better not to adopt Dick in case he ever lost his oldest as well. As though a piece of paper would somehow minimize the pain.

Oh, what a fool he was.

"You're right." He admitted. "You're right. I'm well beyond trying to justify my mistakes. And I know you don't want to see me. But this can't wait for petty grudges to be resolved."

"'Petty'?" Tim repeated with a raised brow. "Is that what you're calling it?"

Yet again, Bruce felt like a complete fool. "No I just meant-"

"I don't care." Tim interrupted again. "If you have something that's going to help us find Dick, then great. Leave it here and go back to Gotham. We can handle this."

"It's not that simple."

"Yeah actually. It is. No one wants you here and you'll only do more harm to Dick than good." Tim said, refusing to budge.

Wally groaned. He had been hoping beyond hope that Bruce would be able to convince Tim himself so that it would not come to this. But now they were here, Tim was being as stubborn as his mentor, and neither were giving an inch. That left only one recourse. "Hear him out Tim." He said begrudgingly.

Everyone in the Watchtower, sans Bruce and Artemis, looked at him as though he were an impostor. The red haired speedster could hardly blame them. It had physically hurt to say those words aloud. "Don't get the wrong idea here. We're all still in agreement that he's a bastard. That said, I'm not going to let Dick keep going down this path just because we don't like him. Hear him out and then decide if he should stay."

Tim looked back and forth between his teammate and guardian for a few moments before relenting and turning back towards the meeting table without another word. He sat down between Roy and Conner and looked at Bruce with a gaze that said he was just waiting for the man to screw up.

But Bruce refused to make a mess of things more than he already had. He was here to fix his mistakes. He couldn't afford to make new ones.

Wally and Artemis both too seats next to each other right by Kaldur. They looked at Batman with anticipation as well.

First thing was first though.

Before he could even begin to talk about how to help Dick...

...he had to own up to doing this to his son in the first place.

"Let me begin by saying...that none of this is Dick's fault. It's all mine. I was foolish. I was arrogant. Dick shouldn't be the one to suffer for my faults, but that's exactly what is happening. All the pain and rage that he's been keeping inside, which we could have dealt with properly, is now being released violently due to my failures. What he does next is the cost of all of my mistakes. I need you all to understand I'm not doing this for redemption, and I'm far beyond any form of forgiveness. But I can't let Dick suffer alone. I will do whatever it takes to make this right. And once that is done, none of you will ever have to see me again. That includes Dick. He deserves to be in better company than mine."

Bruce added in that last bit due to his promise to Kid Flash. He looked over at the ginger for confirmation and found the young man looking satisfied with his words. Then he turned to the rest of the Team.

They all had that same expression as when Wally had asked them to hear him out. They looked like they weren't sure if this was the real Batman. Tim was the one most taken aback by that speech. He was coming up on his second year as Robin and he had never heard Bruce admit to a mistake. The man was far too proud for that. The fact that he was willing to lay himself low and say that all of this was on him made Robin wonder if there was a blizzard in hell.

The still silence that had fallen over the room soon became deafening. No one knew how to go forward from there. Batman was looking at them all like he was waiting for them to decide whether of not he was allowed to stay. They all assumed Tim would be the one to speak up. If anyone was in a position to tell Batman he was welcome or tell him to screw off, it would be Red Robin. But he couldn't decide that either.

No matter how logical his brain was, he was still a teenager. And the teenage side of his brain was telling him to give into his juvenile instinct and kick Batman out of the Watchtower. But his more rational side was reminding him that a grudge match wasn't worth it. The two sides battled for dominance in his mind until one finally overcame the other.

"Fine." He said begrudgingly. "Fine. Just say what you have to say and be done with it."

Bruce resisted the urge to sigh. There was an unspoken communication for the Bats. And Tim's tone said it all for Bruce. This choice was not being made lightly. But he should not read to much into it. This was Red Robin agreeing to help Batman. Tim Drake and Bruce Wayne still had a divide the size of the Grand Canyon between them.

And so Bruce did what he did best. He pushed past the emotional pain by getting to work.

He typed in on the holo-screen and pulled up several police files and news articles on the holo-projector. They were all written about the same subject. The attacks on Owls by Dick.

"As you all know, there have been several attacks on the elite of Gotham, Bludhaven, and most recently, Central City. Another attack took place last night, which brings the total up to nine. Until recently, there has been nothing to connect the victims other than their social standing. Tigress has since been able to provide a motive."

At that prompting, Artemis stood up for the rest of the Team. "I called in a favor with Jade, and she used her contacts in the Shadows to find out more about the victims. It was only a hunch at first, but after coordinating it with Batman we're sure of it now. They're Owls."

An audible gasp came from someone at the meeting, but Tim couldn't be bothered to notice who it was. He was far too invested in the new information. "How's that possible? I thought that at one point but I checked ever digital and paper record the Court had on membership. The nine of them never came up."

"That's because we became overly reliant on the Court's records." Batman explained. "The Court keeps the identities of it's higher members a secret, even to each other. They wouldn't be foolish enough to leave behind anything that might lead back to those members."

"Then how did Dick find them?" Roy wondered out loud. "I mean, if they really put so much effort into being anonymous, then how does he keep finding them so easily."

"Dick was in the Court for several months. He could have overheard something that lead to their identities. All it would take is knowing one of them, and then he could have that one Owl lead him to the rest."

After listening to Batman's explanation, Tim still had trouble grasping the whole thing. So Dick was just hunting random Owls, tracking them down, and the torturing them for hours on end. For some reason that seemed to simplistic for someone as intelligent as the original Robin. "That can't be it though. What else is he looking for? What's his endgame?"

Batman's expression darkened, while Wally and Artemis' faces twisted in worry. "I have a suspicion about that as well. I just hope I'm wrong."

That was enough to get everyone hanging off the Dark Knights every word. Tension was starting to become thick in the room before he finally spoke. "The things that he's been doing to them. The torture. Every method he's used is a form of interrogation technique."

"Interrogation?" Kaldur repeated. He didn't know whether to be horrified or relieved. On one hand, Dick was not simply attacking random people and bringing them to the edge of death's door simply for mere pleasure or a whim as they had once believed. But that did not make his actions right, nor did it lessen the horror of knowing what Dick was capable of now. And all of this was to get information? "To what end? The Court and Parliament are both gone. There's no one-"

"Yes there is." Batman interrupted with a stern expression. "There's the Judge of Owls."

Another long silence swept over the room like an invisible veil. The Team had been looking for the Judge since the night they found Dick. But as it stood, there was no trace of her. Even with Batman's detailed description of her appearance, and his claims that he had met her before, they couldn't get a trace on her. Her identity wasn't even in the files that they had gotten from the Court, and based on the interrogations with the Owls in custody, the lower ranking members didn't know who she was either.

A new realization came upon them as each member of the Team went over the information in their heads. The lower ranking members didn't know who she was. But according to Batman, Dick had been going after the higher ranking council. And based on the way the attacks were done, he had been trying to get information out of them. The very same information that the Team had been looking for.

"He wants to kill the Judge of Owls." Tim said, being the first to voice the thoughts of the Team. "That's why he hasn't bothered to kill the other Owls. He's not interested in them. It's her that he wants. And that's what these attacks have been about. Trying to get the Owls to admit to her identity."

Batman nodded slowly in confirmation. "That is our theory. Yes."

"We can't let that happen." M'gann said. "What happened in the Labrynth was one thing. He was under their control whether he admits it or not. That wasn't his fault. But if he finds her and kills her, there will be no coming back from that."

A hum of agreement passed over them. No one could say that the Judge didn't deserve whatever Dick had planned for her, but Dick didn't deserve to have yet another death on his conscience. He may not realize it now, but Dick would eventually come to realize that killing the Judge would be wrong, and it would already be too late. If he were to succeed in killing her...

...then Nightwing would truly be dead.

"Yeah. That brings us to out next order of business." Artemis said, standing up. For some reason, she sounded completely exhausted. And there was something wrong with her voice as well. It had a rough edge to it that was not normally there. "You're all going to be pissed off with me in a minute, and I don't blame you. I managed to figure out the pattern a while ago. Yesterday, I followed my hunch and I turned out to be right, and I confronted Dick."

Red Robin's mask couldn't hide the betrayed expression on his face after she spoke. "You went without backup, or without telling us? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Wally scowled at the teenager across the table from him. "You better watch your mouth you-"

Artemis put a stop to the confrontation by placing a restraining hand on Wally's shoulder. "It's okay Wally." The archer said as she looked back at Tim, though her boyfriend didn't seem to be nearly as forgiving as he glared daggers at the young man. "You're right. I should have brought you all with me, or at least told you what I was doing. But I thought if I could meet with Dick one on one instead of the whole Team ganging up on him I might be able to reason with him.

"And how did that turn out?"

Tim's sarcastic remark earned him another scowl from the soon-to-be Flash, while it caused Artemis' expression to morph into something that resembled regret and shame. As she reached up and pulled her scarf down, revealing the massive bruise around her neck, Tim was overcome by the same emotions. He naively wanted to believe that she had perhaps been mugged on her way back from talking to Dick, and that the large and well defined injury to her throat was a complete coincidence. But as he learned from Batman a long time ago, there are no coincidences.

"Jesus." Roy breathed, clearly in as much shock as the rest of them. " _Dick_ did that to _you_?"

Artemis threw her fellow archer a look. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to slug him when we find him so that it all evens out." She said as she hurriedly wrapped the scarf around her neck again so that everyone would stop starring. "Oh and when we find him, _do not_ refer to him as Nightwing."

No one liked the implications of that last statement, but decided not to question it as the archer continued and fiddled with something in her pocket. "And it was well worth it. I picked his pocket while he had me in a choke hold. Managed to get this off of him."

With that, Tigress held up a small computer flash drive for them to see. Most of the Team started to run through the things that could be on it in their minds, but Conner having the least amount of patience among them, broke the ice. "And on it is...?"

"Your guess is as good as ours." Wally said in response. "Not even Bats could get into it. Dick didn't spare any expense in the firewall on that thing. Most of us would go insane just trying to figure out how to bypass it. But..." Wally trailed off, again looking at Tim. This time his gaze was missing a warning glare and was replaced with an almost pleading expression.

Tim didn't need a moment to consider it. "Gimme."

Artemis put the drive on the table and slid it over to the now former Robin, who proceeded to plug it into his gauntlet. With that, a holographic keyboard and screen popped up on his wrist and he clicked away at the buttons on it.

"Can you hack in?" Batman asked, hoping for some manner of confirmation after the hard time the firewall gave him.

"A twelve year old with an abacus could hack this (5)." Tim replied somewhat sharply, refusing to take his eyes off the screen and meet his mentor's white lenses with his own. Batman couldn't deny the pressure that formed in his throat from Tim's indifference.

Wally, seemingly picking up on the tension, decided to diffuse it. "Then you'd better start sliding beads. For all we know that thing has the schematics to a bomb, or the pass codes to some secret government agency, or-"

"Or the blueprints to a bunch of old houses." Tim interrupted as data files expanded from his gauntlet. Since the files were holographic, everyone could see them from both sides. They were indeed blueprints. Just from looking at them one could tell that they were meant for large scale houses, though this was hardly the evidence they were looking for.

"May I?" Batman asked. Again with intentional indifference, Tim punched in a new command and had the blueprints set up from the projector in the center of the room, making them easier to view.

Batman's ever studying mind noticed it right away. "Those are all blueprints for the mansions the Owls lived in. All the ones he went after."

"That makes sense. All the reports said he got in and out without being detected." Roy said impassively. "But how does that help us _now._ He went after all the Owls besides the Judge now. He doesn't have any other targets left."

"Actually, he might." Tim said as he squinted at something on the screen on his gauntlet. "How many victims were there again?"

"Nine." Artemis said, curious as to were the young detective was going.

"That's what I thought. But there's a tenth folder here. It's a lot larger and taking longer to download. I think it might be a large number of files crammed together actually."

It took about three more minutes, but eventually Tim was able to open the new folder and pull it up for the Team to see. These were different somehow. Clearly not for a mansion, or any type of house, but they were still blueprints. That was all most of the Team could tell with the untrained eye. But Batman's eyes were well trained.

"Those aren't for any place of residence." Batman said as he attempted to take in what must have been at least a dozen pages at once. "Those are schematics for a train."

"A train?" Roy asked for confirmation. "Well that narrows it down."

"It might actually." Tim countered. "Only certain types use that many cars. And the types of cars help narrow it down further." Tim trailed off as he began to enter more code into the program, smirking a bit as new results popped up. "Let's see. About thirteen box cars. Probably living quarters based on the size. Plenty of cars for cargo too. And then there's...whoa. That's weird. Three stock cars. Those are only used to transport animals. They're pretty large ones too. Stock cars with this much reinforcement are only meant for animals who have an aggregate weight that exceeds 5,000 lbs."

That earned no small amount of confused expressions from the Team members present. "Okaaay." Said Wally, drawing out the word. "Put those things together and what do you get?"

"I'm not sure." Batman admitted, which caused all present to do a double take. He ignored them as he pondered over the options. "Normally I would assume a military transport due to the cargo and living quarters. But then the stock cars make no sense. There aren't many types of trains that would need them. They're only used for animal relocation, or livestock transport, or..."

Tension rose in the room as Batman suddenly broke off from his list. His entire demeanor suddenly changed out of the blue, as though something horrible beyond words had occurred to him. And Batman was the thing that gave the worst villains alive nightmares. For something to scare him like this...

"Or what Bruce?" Tim said, too worried to bother with something as petty as addressing his guardian by his moniker to alienate him.

Batman turned to face him, and his stunned response shot a chill directly up Tim's spine. "Travelling circuses."

Everyone froze in place. Slowly, the gears in their heads started to turn and it all began to add up, though they all wanted to vehemently deny it. But the pieces of the puzzle put themselves together regardless. The sleeping quarters would make perfect sense for a large troop of performers. And they would need an equally large number of cargo containers for their tent and equipment. And no one could forget Dick regaling them all with stories of growing up in the circus, with his favorite pet elephant Zitka. A pet elephant that would easily weigh enough to require reinforcement in her train car.

Tim typed just as fast as he could process the implications of those words, praying that they were wrong. His quick search was done privately on his gauntlet. No one else of the Team would be able to see. Even if they could, they were probably all too horrified to read it. His search produced results, and Tim felt all the air leave his lungs at once as he spoke in a panicked tone.

"Haly's Circus is doing a tour in America. And they have a show _tonight_ in Gotham City."

Wally, having known about Dick's life in the circus longer than anyone else on the Team, felt like he couldn't breathe at the revelation. Dick had always loved that circus. He had always said that even though he lost his parents there, he never lost his family. But now he knew the truth. He knew that the circus had a hand in the creation of the Talons. Hesitantly, he looked between the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder. "You don't think that..." He trailed off, too afraid to hear the answer.

"Bruce." Tim said anxiously, not bothering to register Wally's words or stunned expression. "The last time I spoke to Dick, he told me that he was going to do what monsters do."

Without any warning or provocation, Batman turned around and made towards the Zeta tubes. Red Robin got up at nearly the exact same moment, but halted when Roy spoke. "I don't understand. What do monsters do?"

Tim kept his eyes fixed on his guardian's cape as he followed after him.

"They go after their creators."

* * *

Jack Haly was spent. Well and truly spent beyond his years.

He couldn't quite describe how it felt to be rid of the Court of Owls. It had meant the circus was suffering a major financial loss without their support, of course. In fact, the circus as a whole was a lost cause at this point. He could keep it going for some time, but it would be nothing less than a miracle if they stayed open past this year.

And he couldn't be happier.

His father was the ringmaster of the circus before he was. He remembered that every night he would go to sleep with dreams of the acrobats soaring through the sky. His father had promised him that it would all be his one day, and that wonders beyond his childlike dreams would open up to him once that time came.

What an incredible lie that was.

He had only been nineteen when his father past away. Before he was even done mourning, a man in a white mask appeared the same day his father was lowered into the ground. It was then that Haly discovered the truth about his family's circus. And the truth was that it was no circus at all.

It was a cage.

And the Halys were the slavers.

He outright refused to participate in the sick game the Court had planned for him, and told the man to get the hell away from the circus and never come back. The man told him that it was a shame Haly's father had yet to teach him 'manners' and that someone else would have to. He left with that thinly veiled threat still hanging in the air. Haly refused to pay him any mind. These people were his family. He wouldn't betray them like his father had.

Two days later, his mother was dead.

A mugging, the authorities called it. Of course, none of her money had been taken. In fact, something had been left behind. A single white feather, splattered red with blood.

That was the day that Jack Haly learned another very hard lesson about the circus. He was no slaver. And neither was his father.

The performers, the ringmaster; there was no real difference between them.

They were all slaves in the Court's unblinking eyes.

And so he started to do the work. Every decade he would send them the creme of the crop. The best children the circus had to offer. It was cold comfort, but Haly was just glad he never had to see them after they were taken. It was horrible enough to know what his deeds had turned them into. He didn't need to see it for himself.

But now the Court was gone. And with them, any trace of the circus' involvement in their affairs. And it only took 50 years and over two dozen children to make it happen. And those were only the children that he gave them. The number of children that were turned into monsters because of his family were far beyond counting.

And far beyond forgiveness.

Haly always knew that one day, he would have to face all that he had done for the Court.

He just hadn't expected that day to come so soon.

But when he walked into his office on the circus' train, he was greeted with the sight of someone there waiting for him. The figure was that of a tall man, clad in black attire. His head of ebony hair was turned away from Haly, opting to look down at something he was holding in his hands. Even with his back turned, it was obvious he had heard the door open.

Haly stumbled backwards until his back hit the door frame. It had been ten years since he last had a Talon come to him, demanding the new supply of children. But that night was burned into his mind. As was the image of the Talon that took little Raymond McCreary while the boy screamed and cried for his parents.

He couldn't understand this. The Court was gone. Their Talons were all in custody. What was one of them doing here?

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The Talon let out a soft sigh. That alone struck Haly as odd. The Talons never gave away any expression. They didn't even breath. They refused to give away any manner of gesture that would allow one to think they were human once. There was something different about this one.

"'What am I doing here?'" The Talon repeated in a familiar, hollow voice. "The day I left you told me I would always have a place here. But then again, maybe that was just another one of your lies."

Haly felt the world shift beneath his feet as he sank down to the floor, his back still against the wall. It didn't matter how old the boy got, or how much he might change. He would know that voice anywhere. "Dick?"

The Talon turned around fully now, and Haly felt his entire body seize up. His mouth went dry. Air completely expunged itself from his lungs. After this boy's family had been killed, Haly could only hope that there would be something good to come from that tragedy. That the boy would never have to be a Talon. And now, it was as though all his wrongdoings over the past 50 years were all coming together in the form of the young man he once thought of like a grandson. Yellow eyes starring him down, black spiraling through his veins, and inhumanly alabaster skin. The gravity of the situation was starring him right in the face.

"Not anymore." The last of the Flying Graysons responded as he shifted the rest of his body to face the old man.

Haly somehow managed to find his voice. "I-I don't understand. I-I thought the Court was-"

"Oh, the Court _is_ gone, no thanks to you. Who do you think brought them down?" Dick asked as he shifted his focus back to the object in his hands. Haly was still too invested in how much the boy's appearance had changed to really take an interest in it.

"Oh Jesus, Dick. What did they do to ya'?" Haly couldn't help the jolt that ran through him at the shrill, humorless laugh that Dick barked in response.

"'They'?" He repeated, sarcasm heavy in his voice. "' _They_ '? Don't act like you're some high-minded bystander in all this Haly. Not with me. Certainly not with this." Dick said as he held out the object in his hands. Haly recognized it instantly.

It was the Book of Names.

It was a horrid family heirloom. A track record of all the Talons the Court had produced over the centuries. Or more specifically, the Talons that the circus provided for them.

Haly scrambled to his feet, desperate to assure Dick that he never wanted this. "No. No I swear I had no idea that-"

"Oh _really_?" With that Dick flipped past a few pages at once, nearly tearing the paper. Once he found the desired page, he turned it back to Haly.

And there it was, as clear as day in thick black ink and exquisite handwriting.

_Richard Grayson_

He had made that entry the day that the Graysons died. Which, as it happens, was the day that the Court was supposed to take him.

"I-It's not what it looks like!" He shouted desperately.

"Well let me tell you what it sounds like." Dick said hurriedly as he flipped through the pages again. "Raymond McCreary. He was my best friend growing up. I couldn't stop crying when I found out that he died in a car accident just a few days after Bruce took me in. Of course, he would have been better off if he really had burned to death in that car. Calvin Rose. He was an escape artist right? They talked about him in the Court. He was the only one to ever escape the Labyrinth. Too bad he was beaten, whipped, and starved for eight years first. Mary Turner. I actually met her as a Talon. Severe burns to her face, no family, and no goddamn tongue! But that didn't stop your father from selling her to the Court like a broken toy. And this one I know all too well. William Cobb. Funny thing is, there are lots of entries with the surname Cobb. Of course, that name was changed around the turn of the century. You want to take a stab at what the current family name is?" (6-8)

Haly gave a heavy swallow. "Grayson." He said breathlessly.

Dick scoffed and smirked at him. "Uh, I think you mean 'Gray Son'. That's what the Court thought anyway." Dick gave another mirthless laugh. It sounded nothing like the mischievous cackle that came from him as a child. It was more like a monster's chuckle. "How much, Haly?" He asked, the smile never leaving his face.

"How much? How much what?" Based on the wording, it didn't sound like Dick was referring to how many children they had turned over to the Court. For that alone he was grateful. Because the truth was, even he didn't know.

"How much goddamn money did they give you?!" Dick shouted as he threw the book at Haly. The older man ducked, leaving the book to smack against the wall and fall aimlessly to the ground. As Haly turned back up, he found Dick standing over him with yellow eyes narrowed in fury, any manner of joviality gone from his face. Haly backed away and started to round the small office, leaning against the wall for support. Dick kept pace with him as he back away in a panic. Sooner or later his legs hit the desk chair and he fell back into it, the young Talon leaning over him so their faces were mere inches away from each other.

"I asked you a question Haly." He hissed out. "How. Much? I want to know how much money was worth the lives of all these kids. Kids that trusted and thought of you as a grandfather. How fucking much?"

Air refused to find it's way into Haly's lungs. He was practically gasping as he spoke. "Dick please. I didn't do it for the money. It was _never_ about the money. They killed my mother. I had to think about the family I had left."

"No. I get it." Dick said calmly as he backed away. "You wanted to protect your family. And you did. But all those other families...The families that were torn to pieces when you made them think their children were dead. The kids were were taken from their homes so they could go become soldiers for a crazed cult. They can all go straight to hell. Fitting. Hell is a pretty good way of describing the place you sent them."

Haly continued to choke on his own words as the ghosts of his past haunted him with every word Dick spoke. "Wh-what do you want from me?" He practically begged.

Again, Dick snorted with narrowed eyes. "What I want is to swing from the trapeze with a living family there to catch me. But I'll settle for the Judge of Owls."

Haly's eyes widened in surprise and his panic halted, if only for an instant. "I...I don't know anything about the Judge."

Suddenly, there was a clawed hand gripping his throat, and wild yellow eyes burning through his very soul. "Lie to me again and I'll split you open from belly to brains! I don't care about their secret society bullshit! I've come too far to stop now! Those other Owls didn't give me anything so you are going to if you want to keep breathing."

The ringmaster again gave the boy a look of stupor as he struggled to catch his breathe. "You?! You're the one that's been attacking the Owls?!"

Again, there was the horrible smile on his face. "That's right. And if I could do that to them, think about what I'll do to you."

"I swear I don't-"

He was violently thrown back into his seat, which collapsed beneath him and left him to fall on the ground as Dick got down on his knees and leaned over him and grabbed him by the collar. "What did I just say about lying to me?! I don't care if you don't know her name! You must have noticed something! The perfume she had on! The clothes she wore! You tell me what you know now or so help me-"

"They had me blindfolded whenever they took me to their house! The Judge always wore that cloak and mask!" Haly quickly defended. "I don't know what to say! It's an older place! Lots of owl sculptures and paintings! Suits of armor too! Like from medieval knights! And...and...!" Haly was speaking a mile a minute now. Desperate, to get anything that might pacify the Talon's rage. He was about to run out of details when something else came to mind. "Trees! Douglas firs! I looked out the windows sometimes and saw them all along the property! And the gate! It had this symbol on it! An owl with a scroll in its' claws! That's all I know I swear!"

Dick squinted at him as he lowered his head down so their noses were nearly touching. Sooner or later, Haly felt something wash over him as Dick released the hold on his collar with three whispered words. "I believe you."

Dick got up, paying no more mind to Haly, and walked over to the door as though the previous encounter never happened. Haly got up moments after the Talon got off of him, and starred at him as he left.

"For what its worth..." He began, trying to keep his voice loud enough for Dick to hear him despite how much the younger man strangling him had damaged his voice. "For what it's worth...I'm sorry. I'm more sorry than you could ever imagine. And when you find the Judge, I hope you make it hurt."

Dick stopped dead in his tracks, one hand still on the edge of the door. He tapped a clawed finger against it for a moment before responding. "Don't worry. I _will_." He then pushed against the door and shut it against the frame...leaving himself and Haly alone in the office. Haly felt his stomach turn and do flips inside him as Dick turned the lock on the handle and looked to him again, dangerous yellow eyes fixed on his own.

"N-no. I-I told you everything I know. I swear it!" He pleaded as he back against the wall and the Talon approached him slowly.

"So what?" Dick asked as he flipped over the desk to close the distance between them. "You thought you could spill your guts and I would just be on my merry way? That's unbearably naive Haly. Even for you."

"Dick please." The older man begged the boy he once regarded as a grandchild. "I have children."

"Look through the book Haly..." Dick said in a predatory voice as a claw shot up again and formed a vice like grip around the man's neck once more.

"...because they were all somebody's child."

* * *

The next thing Jack Haly was aware of was waking up to a bright light being shined very close to his face. He was just barely able to blink past it. He tried to reposition himself in an attempt to ease the influx of light. The result was a searing pain that shot throughout his abdominal. He gasped for air as he fell back against the soft surface. In the back of his mind it occurred to him that he was laying on a bed, but that was of little concern. Between his eyes and his body, he couldn't think straight. He just laid there completely still with his eyes closed tightly for several long minutes before trying to open them again. It was a gradual thing. Adjusting his eyes to the light. But sooner or later he was able to make out the bulb on the ceiling that the light was coming from.

He carefully turned in his bed, trying not to agitate the wounds at all. Next to him was an IV drip, which answered the question of where he was. It was a hospital. Or more likely a free clinic. He didn't have the money for an actual hospital, and one could tell just by looking around the room that it was hardly top notch. He also felt bandages wrapped around him that shifted whenever he moved, and the source of his pain was coming from underneath them. Hesitantly, Haly looked down at one of the ace bandages on his chest and lifted it up, only to immediately regret it. If he only felt mild pain from something like that, he had severely the pain meds they must have put him on. There were claw marks digging so deep into him, he could just about see his bones. Someone must have found him after...

Haly's heart sank as his mind drifted back to the youngest of the Flying Graysons. The boy he had seen today was the realization of all the nightmares he ever had about the Court and what they would do if they ever managed to get past Wayne and get their claws on him. He still had no idea how it happened, or why the boy had free will which was very unlike most Talons, or (most importantly) why Dick had left him alive. He didn't know. And something in his gut told him that he would never find out, and that he would never see that boy again.

Sooner or later Haly attempted to sit up in his bed despite the pain. When he did and he faced forward, he nearly fell right to the ground. It was a large dark figure right in front of him. At first he thought it was Dick, which terrified him. But the reality of it didn't make him any less scared. It wasn't a Talon, but Batman that stood before him, a young man dressed in dark red beside him. The large R on his chest suggested Robin, but he looked very different from the one Haly had seen on the news. As for Batman, the amount of terror the man could induce was not done justice by any news report out there.

"Don't speak." The Dark Knight said in a deep, intimidating voice which caused any possible question Haly might have asked to vanish from his mind. "I'm only going to tell you the situation right now. We know who you are, and we know what you did. You've provided performers to the Court for decades. _Children,_ who thought they could trust and look up to you. You've done it for generations with impunity, but that ends tonight. I have all the evidence I need to send you to prison for a very long time Mister Haly. And if you think for one moment that no one will believe what I have against you because the Court of Owls is only a fable, you have no idea just how much pull the Justice League carries in the court system. And once you are insides, I will personally see to it that you never get out."

"That said..." The Robin-esque vigilante said, taking over. "The Justice League's influence in the court system works both ways. We can make sure that punishment is reduced just as easily as we can see to it that it is increased. If you help us now, we will ask for leniency. Make no mistake, you're going to jail either way. It's only a matter of what the inside will be like. You could go to a minimum security prison and live out your days peacefully, or you could go to Blackgate and we can see just how well a non-supervillain survives there. And it all comes down to whether or not you tell us the truth. Where is Dick Grayson going?"

Haly had to take no small amount of time to process the offer on the table. A majority of his brain was screaming at him to take the deal and stop being an idiot. If he did, Batman and Robin could catch their bad guy, Dick could get the help he needed, and he would have a reduced sentence. Everybody wins.

But...but...

"I can't tell you that."

The twin glares of the Dynamic Duo fixed on him with a hatred that could melt steel. Red Robin was the first to voice this rage. "This might be your only chance at any sort of redemption after years of selling out children under your care, and that's all you have to say?"

"I know that someone like you could never understand this but-"

"Damn right, I don't!" The red clad Boy Wonder hollered as he stalked towards the edge of the man's bed and gripped the sides hard enough to break the braces. "Do you know what's going to happen if he finds the Judge before we do?"

"Yeah, I do. So do you. And you try to tell me that she doesn't deserve it." Haly justified. He had been hoping beyond hope for years that someone would do the Judge in. Now that the moment had finally come, he had no reason to undo it. "You don't know her or the Court like I do. As long as she's out there, no one in the circus is safe. And neither is Dick. I think the kid's entitled to a little revenge anyway."

"That's easy for you to say. When he took revenge on you, he chose to show restraint." Batman countered. "And do not for one moment act as though you care about Dick's safety in all of this. It sounds to me like you want the Judge gone, and you're willing to let the child you failed do your dirty work."

Haly was taken aback by the accusation and actually met the Dark Knights glare, ignoring the flinch that ran through him by doing so. "How dare you pretend to know anything about-"

"Oh, but I _do_ know." Batman said as he took something out that had been hidden by his cape. And for the second time that day, Haly was confronted with his past using an object that he absolutely despised. Batman had the Book of Names in his grasp.

"There are over two hundred pages in this book, and just as many names. Among those, twenty six children trace back directly to you. Children that you sold off to be turned into monsters. Children that you let the world think was dead. Children that you _abandoned_." Batman ground out through clenched teeth. "Some of the parents of these kids took their own lives, because _you_ told them their children were gone and never coming back. And before you even think of excusing yourself, I know full well about what the Court threatened you with. I know about your mother, and your own children. Answer me this. What made their lives and your family more important than any of those that became monsters on your account?"

Haly's throat went dry at the influx of accusations by the Dark Knight. Little did the vigilante know that Haly had asked himself that very question for years. He had even come close to telling the truth to the authorities a few times. But then, he would see his sons playing with the circus equipment or telling him that they loved him, and all he could do was picture those very same boys with their throats sliced open and white feathers placed next to them, just like his mother.

At that point he would think to himself, _"What kind of father would I be if I did something that could get my sons killed?",_ when he should have been asking himself a different question. _"What kind of_ human being _am I if I keep letting innocents suffer and continue to get paid for it?"_

The Boy Wonder pulled the ringmaster from his thoughts with a much gentler tone than he had used before. "You made mistakes. No one's denying that. But Richard shouldn't be the one to pay the price for that. Regardless of what the Judge of Owls has done, it's not our place to impose judgement on her. And Richard doesn't deserve to become a murderer. All those kids you've given to them over the years...they're killers now. Many of them will never be the same. It's different with Richard though. He hasn't killed anyone yet. There's still time to save his soul. If you have ever cared about him, you'll do the right thing here. Tell us where he is."

Haly swallowed down the pressure that was forming in his throat and looked at the ebony haired boy in front of him. The kid reminded him so much of Dick back in the day. So full of potential and wonder and light. He knew from the moment Dick was born that no matter what the Court wanted to do with him, the world would be a better place with him in it. That light might be gone forever now. There was only one way left to know for sure though.

"I don't know where he's going." Haly said, earning another scowl from Batman. Haly quickly got on the defensive. "That's the truth. I don't know where the judge lives. Not the location anyway. I only described it for him."

"Then describe it for us."

Haly nodded eagerly. "It's an older place. Practically a castle. Looks like it was taken directly out of a fairy tale. It's made completely out of stone. There are roses and douglas firs planted all around the property. It's remote too. Not another house around for miles. There was a family crest on the gate too. It was an owl with a scroll in its' claws."

Haly wasn't sure, but he could have sworn he saw something change in Batman's expression at his description. If it was there it was gone in an instant. Batman then proceeded to turn around and head right for the door. "Let's go."

Robin followed after his mentor, with a quick glance at Haly before moving. "You have your deal. I'll make sure that-"

"Don't you do anything." Haly interrupted, surprising Robin. "You were right. I've failed a lot of kids that put their trust in me, and it's destroyed a lot more lives than the ones listed in that damned book. I don't want any special treatment. I don't deserve it. Just do me one thing."

With that Haly looked at the former sidekick pleadingly, like it was his final wish in the whole world. "Tell him I'm sorry when you find him. I don't expect him to forgive me. But I need him to know that. You'll do that, won't you?"

Robin lowered his gaze to the ground before turning to the door. "Yeah. I'll do that." He said with the smallest edge to his tone before disappearing into the hall.

But despite the reassurance from the boy, Haly knew that there was no force in Heaven nor Earth that could ever ease his guilt, just like nothing could erase what Dick and Raymond and all those kids went through.

They would be edged into eternity.

Haly continued to contemplate that in the hours following the two heroes' departure and the arrival of the police which took place not long after.

* * *

**Bruce & Tim**

Tim hoped into the Batmoible eagerly once they left the hospital. Before he even landed in his seat, the young detective pulled up his holographic pad on his gauntlet. "I'll start running a search for mansions with those characteristic. Hopefully we'll get a match with-"

"Don't bother." Batman interrupted as he closed the top of the car and started driving them to an unknown location. "I know where it is."

Red Robin gave his now former mentor a mind-boggled look. "You _do_?"

Batman gave the curtest of nods in confirmation. "The crest that Haly described. It belongs to the family who first founded Gotham. The Vanavers. My father used to play golf with the patriarch of the family. And I used to play with their daughter during those games. Her name is Samantha Vanaver (9). I haven't seen her in years."

Tim allowed his brain to process all the information he just heard before allowing himself to proceed with a new search. "Maybe you have and you just didn't realize it. You said yourself that the Judge has appeared at charity events you hosted. Got her." Tim said as his search was completed and a picture of Samantha Vanaver appeared on the screen for all to see. "You've seen her without her mask."

Batman turned a bit so he could just make out the image from the corner of his eye. The blonde hair, the cheery red lips, the mole just beneath her eye. "It's her. Send the coordinates for her manor to the Team."

Red Robin did just that. Not a minute later he got a message from Tigress saying that they were on their way.

With that settled, an uncomfortable silence overcame them. It was hardly something new for them. In fact, it this was what most night were like for them. They could spend an entire petrol without a single word passing between them. But this was different. The silence was deafening. There were a million things they should be talking about, but they were remaining unspoken.

Eventually, Batman realized that Tim wouldn't be the one to break the silence, and took up the burden himself. And he started with something that had been pressing on his mind during the talk with Haly.

"You lied earlier." Bruce said, earning a confused look from Tim. He elaborated, "Before, when you were talking about how Dick hadn't become a killer yet."

Tim's white lenses narrowed in hostility at his guardian. Perhaps that had come out more accusatory than he had intended. "Yeah well, whatever gets him talking is worth it. Besides, I also lied when I said the Judge didn't deserve to die."

The corners of Bruce's lips cast downwards at the young boys words. People Tim's age shouldn't have that type of mindset. "Please don't say that Tim."

"Fine then. That's off limits. We could always talk about the hypocrisy of you lecturing Haly or anyone else about failing and abandoning children." Tim said.

Bruce chose to push down the guilt and frustration rising in his chest. Even this hostile conversation was better than the avoidance he had dealt with so far. "I can't say I don't deserve that."

"No kidding." Tim added sharply.

Bruce sighed. "Tim, I need to apologize to you. I'm so sorry for what I've done. Truly. And not just for what I did to Dick. I was so wrapped up in that I failed to see that I wronged you too. I didn't give you the chance to explain, and I didn't have faith in you. I'm sorry."

"Well that's good to hear, but you know what really hurt me Bruce?" Tim asked as he turned to face Batman. "I accepted a long time ago that you and I would never have a traditional father son relationship. But I really did think that even if you could never bring yourself to say it that..." Tim stopped for a moment, and Bruce could tell it was because he was getting choked up. "I thought that you loved us, even if you wouldn't say it out loud."

Batman, reeling from what he had just heard, but the car on autopilot so that he could turn and face Red Robin. And there, he could see in his expression just how young Tim really was. "Of course I do."

"Do you though?" Tim's voice sounded far more hurt than accusing now. "We've been catching criminals for years now. And as per your instructions, I check visitors logs all the time just to make sure their not planning a break out. And over the years, I've noticed the most interesting thing. In nearly every situation, the person's family visits them all the time. And it didn't even matter what crime they committed. Burglary, assault, even murder. I couldn't understand it then. How could these families be that blind. All the evidence was right there but it was like they were choosing to ignore it. I got so curious, that one day I went to a prison as a civilian and waited outside for a guest to show up. I posed as a high schooler working on an ethics paper. Ultimately I had to bribe someone to talk about it, and I asked them how they could believe their family member was innocent despite the overwhelming evidence. The woman I interviewed told me that she knew her son was guilty, and that she hated what he had done. But none of that mattered, because he was still her son, and she loved him."

Bruce sat silently for Tim's story. By the end, he had a new appreciation for just what a horrible excuse for a father he was. Most of it he already knew. That he should not have blamed Dick for what he had been forced to do, and that he should have known better than to think he belonged in prison or an asylum. But Tim's story reminded him of something he had done a very good job of being ignorant towards. He never told the boys he loved them.

They had told him that they loved him repeatedly. But such sentiment had always been met with 'me too' or 'same here'. Somehow he had convinced himself that they knew how much they meant to him, despite his inability to communicate it. He was hardly the person to go to in terms of expressing your feelings, but how hard was it to say those three simple words?

More excuses and more good intentions. That seemed to be the common element in how he had failed the boys.

"I'm sorry Timmy." He said, hoping the nickname would help the boy ease up for what it was worth. "You're right. I failed you, and for that I am so sorry. I've never been a father to you, or at least I haven't been the one you deserve. But if you give me a chance, I swear I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

Tim didn't look at Bruce once during his promise. He continued to look blankly at the passing buildings through the red visor of the Batmobile. "I think it might be too late for that Bruce."

Bruce's heart did a nosedive. He had tried to prepare himself for Tim's rejection, but he did not anticipate how much hearing those words aloud would hurt. He wanted to say something, but knew that no amount of words could make up for his mistakes at this point. So he turned back around, disengaged the autopilot, and took the wheel. Not one more word passed between them for the rest of the ride.

At some point afterwards though, something horrible occurred to Bruce. If he wasn't able to make things right with Tim, then what hope did he have of doing the same with Dick?

* * *

Samantha Vanaver was at her wits end. She never should have listened to William Cobb's ridiculous plans to recruit the Gray Son of Gotham. But the damage was done. And so here she was, on her way back to her mansion so she could convince what was left of the Parliament that she was still capable of running their fragile chapter in Gotham.

Worse still was that Batman was beginning to close in, and those members of the Council that were not in jail were being tracked down and taken out by some mysterious third party. As it stood, she was the only Owl left in Gotham.

"Madam Vanaver?" Her driver called from the other side of the divider. "We'll be there shortly."

She waved off her driver. She was too busy looking through the police reports on her phone. The Owls that were attacked were either in critical condition, or were bedridden. So far, the police hadn't picked up on their illegal activities, nor their ties to the Court. As it stood, they appeared to be innocent victims targeted at random by a madman.

She put her phone in her bag as the limbo came to a stop. She didn't wait for the driver to get out and open her door and proceeded to get out on her own. "You can go home for the night." She said before she walked out.

"Very well madam." The driver said before she closed the door. The limbo pulled out of her driveway slowly and made its' way to the lot as she went into the mansion.

Once inside, she was taken aback by the distinct lack of light. She narrowed he eyes at the darkness and flicked the switch by the door frame. Nothing.

"Archibald?!" She yelled, calling for her butler. After waiting a moment and not getting a response, she proceeded further into the house. "Caitlin?!" Her maid did not answer either, causing her annoyance to escalate. Where the hell was her staff?!

Samantha wandered into the main room and found it empty as well. "Judith?!" Again, she was met with silence. "Where the hell is everyone?!"

"They're not here."

Samantha whipped around to face the eerie voice that spoke. It certainly was not one of her staff members. The figure she found appeared as though he was just barely there through the darkness. At first she though she was imagining it, but her body tensed all the same. It remained completely still at first, but she shrieked when it sharply turned towards her. That's when she saw them. The sent a chill down her spine that rushed directly into her core. They seemed to glow in the darkness, and gave off a light that both mesmerized and and terrified her. Like what a snake did to a mouse before striking. Her mind was telling her to run, but some invisible force was keeping her in place.

And it all emanated from the yellow eyes starring at her.

She managed to back up, never taking her eyes off the golden orbs. She continued to move backwards until her waist hit what must have been her desk, at which point she began to maneuver around to the other side of it.

The figure in the shadows just stood there, never moving a muscle even to breathe. It just stood there and observed her ever move.

Once she got to the other side of the desk, she reached down for something under the table. That elicited a new response from the shadowed form of the intruder.

"If you're going for the silent alarm, don't bother. Your guards will be as unresponsive as the staff was."

Samantha completely froze in shock and fear. She hadn't noticed it at first. She had been reeling from the fact that there was a Talon in her home, where she was apparently alone. But now she saw it. Or rather she _heard it._ She knew that voice. It was the voice that had cursed her out as he was dragged into the Labyrinth. It was the voice that had been turned rough and raw by screaming. It was the voice that once called her 'Grandmaster'.

She looked at him again, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She could see past the gold now. She could clearly see the face of the boy she had broken down in an effort to build him back up into a Talon. It would be fair to say that she was partially successful. They had succeeded in making a Talon, but it was a Talon they could not control.

"They're alive, if you care." He said sharply as he took his first movement towards her. She stumbled back in response and fell into her chair behind the desk. "They're only knocked out. This is between you and me."

The Judge shot up out of her chair and scrambled to get one of the drawers of her desk open. Once she did, she pulled out the revolver she kept inside and pointed it at the Talon only...

...only he was no longer there.

Terror constricted around her heart. She turned wildly in every direction in an effort to get a lock on where he had gone, when a hand shot out from behind her and gripped the gun in her hand strongly. All the air expelled from her lungs as she felt the Talon's breathe against her ear. "A gun? Against _me_? I'm hurt. It's like you hardly know me. And here I thought the five months I spent being beaten, whipped, and mutilated was a bonding experience." He whispered as the hand he used to hold back her gun squeezed tighter and tighter until the metal warped and cracked in his grasp (along with the hand the Judge had on it).

She stifled a scream as her fingers were bent back at odd angles and used her other hand reach for something on her desk. An antique bronze dagger, kept purely for vanity's sake. She managed to get a hold of it and thrust it behind her head, hoping to get at him. She managed to feel the smallest bit of hope when she felt the dagger hit something, but it quickly eroded when the hand gripping hers tightened and she let out a pained cry.

Suddenly, she was whipped around and forced onto the desk chair. She made to get up, but a hand pinned her shoulder to the leather of the seat. The blonde looked up and saw the hero she had been so pleased in turning into a Talon, looking at her with a very familiar set of eyes. Those were the same eyes every Talon had when they had their target right where they wanted them.

Blue eyes darted around the room, searching for some way to escape. They stopped in their search when they landed on something of interest. Something in the Talon's hand.

It was her mask.

The dagger she had used was peeping out through the eye hole, meaning that the mask was what he had used to shield himself from the blade. It was still covered in red, and there was a long crack on it beginning from where the knife had run through it.

In one final and desperate attempt to preserve her life, the Judge looked up at the Gray Son of Gotham with pleading eyes. "Please don't! I'll give you anything! Whatever you want! Ask and it's yours!"

He looked at her with dangerously narrowed eyes with the taloned hand gripping her shoulder suddenly snapped up and grabbed the underside of her jaw. It kept her from moving. Kept her from even attempting to call out for help. All she could do was listen in horror as he spoke. "Whatever I want?" He repeated. "What I really want, is for you to die screaming."

Dread and terror took root in her heart as she watched the man that was once Richard Grayson begin to raise the red owl mask.

"Judge of Owls..."

He held it up high and turned it around, so that the inside of her mask was facing her.

"...the Gray Son of Gotham..."

Suddenly, she realized what he was planning. She jerked her head furiously to the side in an attempt to make him stop, but his hold on her was firm and would not budge.

"...has sentenced you..."

The mask was turned in such a way that it was ready to be placed on her face...

...with the dagger still sticking through it.

"...to die!"

* * *

**Dick**

The young assassin yelped as something struck his hand with a force great enough to shatter the mask and let the dagger embedded in it clatter to the floor. He gripped his hand as what he assumed was a dislocated wrist clicked back into place. Then, with a furious glare, his eyes narrowed in on the one who launched the arrow that struck him.

Roy stood there, another arrow at the ready on his bow. He stood stoically, refusing to allow the Talon before him to notice the small quiver in his stance. It wasn't just the Judge that had become terrified listening to him. Roy wanted to believe that this was just a damned good clone of Dick Grayson, and that the Boy Wonder was still incapable of this. But that was just fantasy. This was reality. Behind him, Roy felt a rush of air from a speedster stopping in his tracks.

"It's over Dick." Wally said calmly, with his hands up to show there was no hostility. "You caught her. We won. Just...just come over here and we'll bring her in. Tim's gathered all the evidence we need. She's never getting out of prison. It's over."

"You don't get to decide that!" Dick snarled, causing Wally's body to tense against his will. "It's not over until I put a knife through her brain!"

Both redheads gave an audible gulp before Roy responded. In the back of his mind it occurred to him that this would have gone better if Batman and Red Robin were here, but they were still on their way over from the hospital. That left them with one option until they got here. Stall. "You know we can't let you do that."

There was no change in his expression. No gesture. No words. Nothing to warn them as Dick leapt over the desk with acrobatic grace and agility and yanked a katana from his side as he spun through the air. Before he even landed, he swiped the curved blade at Roy, which missed his face by the width of a hair. But that wasn't what Dick was aiming for. The limb of his bow was sent flying towards the wall where Dick cut it, and the bowstring limped to the ground. Roy allowed the remains of his bow and arrow to fall from his grasp in pure shock as Dick landed on his feet and sheathed his sword with a dramatic flourish.

"You've never beaten me in a fight while I was human Roy." Dick said while turning his gaze to Wally. "Neither of you have. What will make this time any different?"

"For one thing, they're not alone."

Dick looked around to see the rest of the Team coming in. Artemis had come in through the open window, an arrow of her own at the ready. Kaldur had come in through the entrance to the side of the fireplace, armed with his water blades. Conner was already in a fighting stance by the doorway the Judge had come in through, and M'gann was floating right where she had shifted through the wall beside Wally.

Dick gave the newcomers a look of anger, and what appeared to be mild hurt and betrayal. "So this is what it's come to? You're actually choosing _her_ over me?"

Wally's emerald orbs radiated a look of pain in reply. "Screw her. We're doing this for you. We can't let you cross that line Dick."

Dick barked a humorless laugh, causing the speedster to cringe. "Have you been living under a rock? I already _have_."

"Not like this." Roy said as he pulled his spare bow from his back. "Don't you get it Dick? She's taken enough from you. Don't let her have your soul."

Dick looked at Roy like he couldn't decide if that was even a serious response. But after a while, his face split into a mirthless smile that made their hearts break. "I don't have a soul worth saving anymore."

"Please don't make us do this." Kaldur pleaded as he lowered his weapons so as to come off as nonthreatening. "Talon or not, you know you can't defeat us all."

Dick threw him a look. "Who said I had to?" He asked as he reached behind his back. Everyone prepared themselves quickly, expecting a weapon.

Suddenly, a red light flashed before each of them and and caused each and every member of the Team to shield their eyes and stumble back, only for them to hit something behind them. They tried to go forward, but the path ahead was blocked as well. Finally, once the light dimmed enough for them to open their eyes, they could see why that was. There was some type of energy field around each member of the Team, just like the ones Rocket created. They took the form of transparent red spheres of energy, and there was one around each of them save the Judge and Dick.

"What is this?!" Wally screamed, his eyes never leaving Dick. Out of the corner of his vision he could see Conner trying to bash through the barrier, but was so far unsuccessful.

Dick looked between each member of the Team to ensure that it had worked before answering. "When I left the Court of Owls, I took some souvenirs with me." He then pulled something out from behind his back. The thing he had been reaching for earlier. And suddenly, they understood why this type of barrier seemed so familiar. The object in Dick's hand was a Father Box.

"Stasis field." Dick went on as he lowered the piece Apokoliptic technology to the ground. "For what it's worth, it'll fade in about three hours. But I'll be gone by then, and so will she."

With her only hope of rescue now trapped, the Judge rose from her cowering position behind the desk and attempted to run to the window. She was stopped just as quickly as she started, by a knife flying towards her and landing directly into her wrist, with the remaining force pinning it to the wall. She let out a scream of pain as she tried in vain to get the knife out, which only served to increase the agony she was in.

"Don't do it!" Roy yelled as he pounded fruitlessly against the barrier. On the other side of the distortion, he could see Dick stalking towards the Judge. "I already told you happened to me! What this will lead to! There's no turning back from this! It'll haunt you for the rest of your life!"

Dick shook his head as he took another knife out from the row strapped to his chest. "Not like it will if I let her live." He whispered. Once the Judge was within arms length, he gripped the knife that pinned her to the wall and twisted it in her flesh, causing her to elicit another bloodcurdling scream. She then had the gall to look him in the eyes with fear obvious in her gaze.

"You're a monster." She said through clenched teeth. "An ugly, vile, revolting monster!"

Dick snarled as he grabbed at her throat by the trachea to keep her from speaking. "I am what you made me."

Her words erased all doubt from Dick's mind. _She_ was the monster! Not him! She was an irredeemable psychopath, who deserved much worse than he could hope to inflict on her. If there was any justice in the world, then hell was very real. And he wanted nothing more than to send her there himself. But she wouldn't be sent there too quickly. He wouldn't finish her off for quite a while actually. After all, there were so many bones to break and veins to burst before death was an actual risk.

Before he could even contemplate how to begin, a shadow passed over him from the large window behind the desk. Just as he turned to see it, the figure crashed through the paned glass and a steel-toed boot connected itself with his jaw. Dick did his best to roll into the hit and leapt back, landing on his hands and flipping back over so that he landed in a crouching position in the center of the room. Once that was done, he looked up to face the assailant.

At first he stood there stunned, but the awe slowly gave way to rage. It was not one person that attacked him, but two. And two people he knew well at that. For the briefest of moments, seeing the two of them stand side by side reminded him of his own days where he stood next to the taller of the two. His bright, well defined colors standing out in stark contrast to the dark attire of his mentor. That was their dynamic. A light to balance the darkness.

But he no longer cared about light and dark. Order and chaos. Heroes and villains. At that moment, he only cared about revenge. And he wouldn't let these two or any others stand in his way.

* * *

**Bruce**

Seeing Dick like this was, without exception, the worst moment of his life. Even the murder of his parents did not tear into his soul like this. This was his nightmare made real. If you took away the golden eyes and wild look, then it was obvious. Dick had become something far worse than a Talon.

Dick had turned into _him_.

The light that made him Richard Grayson was nowhere to be found. He had become just like Batman. A fierce and angry force that kept to the night skies and sought out not but revenge. But he was far worse than that. For he had no qualms with killing.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way." Each word came out like fire. Hot and unrelenting. Batman could sense Red Robin's tension next to him. He refused to break his own stance though.

"No." He responded with the sort of conviction that only Batman was capable of.

"I wasn't asking." Dick said as he took out a bo staff from behind his back. It appeared to be the only non-lethal weapon on his person. But Batman knew better than to read too much into it. That said that Dick was not planning on killing them, but he had no intention of holding back.

"Dick please." Tim said, ever the mediator. "We just want to help-"

Tim was cut off as Dick swung the staff at him without warning. Tim's reflexes took over at that point and he brought up one of his suits' wings to shield himself. Dick continued to apply force to the staff though. "You know what?! I'm sick and tired of everyone deciding what kind of help I need!"

The entire Team could do nothing but watch as Dick turned the staff to withdraw from Tim's wing and brought up the other end before the younger Robin could attempt to parry it. The end of the staff cracked across Tim's face and caused the boy to stumble back.

The instant that Bruce made a move to intercede, Dick jerked at him with the staff. Batman caught it before it could come close to striking his chest, but then Dick did something unexpected. He used the staff as leverage to jump off the ground and deliver a well placed round kick to Bruce's jaw, which caused his grasp on the staff to loosen.

At that moment, Tim tried to intercept his brother. But with their surrogate father's grip on the staff weakened, Dick yanked it from Bruce's hands and jabbed it towards Tim. Tim did a somersault to duck underneath the staff and get closer to Dick in the same move. But once he was in close, Dick caught him by his upper arm and lifted his entire body into the air, before propelling him towards Bruce.

The two collided and were thrown into the desk, shattering it into wooden splinters. Red Robin was back on his feet in an instant, Batman having broken his fall. He struck out with his razor sharp wings, which seemed to catch Dick by surprise. The edge of his right wing caught the Talon at his left cheek, exacting the black fluid that ran through his veins in victory.

Dick used the momentum of the attack to leap backwards and land gracefully in the center of the room. He raised a hand and gingerly touched the injury on his face, his fingers becoming stained with the black of the electrum. Once he saw the blood on the tips of his fingers, he growled savagely at Red Robin.

Tim couldn't deny the smallest bit of satisfaction that ran through him at the small triumph. He had never managed to get the better of his predecessor like that before. Dick had played a large part in training him to be Robin, but with his new suit he had some tricks up his sleeve that Dick had never seen before, and wouldn't be able to adapt to as well.

Yet, Tim somehow managed to forget that he was not the only one with new tricks. But that stopped once he saw the long cut on Dick's face stitch itself together. The only evidence it had ever been there at all was the smallest trickle of black fluid across his cheek.

The two of them engaged each other once more, though Dick was being far more vicious in his movements than Tim. Batman observed the whole thing with wide, unblinking eyes. There was something...different in the way Dick moved. Something that hadn't been there before, and something that he had not learned under Batman's tutelage. He couldn't quite describe it, but it was a dangerous addition to his repertoire.

The fight was over before it started. Tim had been keeping a good pace at first, but he slipped up at one point. It was a fatal mistake that Dick had consistently pointed out in training, and one that he used to his advantage now. He always feinted to the left before hitting right.

So when Tim dodged to the left, Dick was ready. He grabbed the boy's fist the moment he lifted it to strike. He then spun around behind the boy, keeping a firm grip on his wrist to keep him from moving, and delivered a swift strike to the back of the boys head with his staff. Tim let out a muffled cry as Dick let go of him and let him sink to the floor.

Batman did not let the opportunity go to waste. He leapt up and struck down at his son while he was distracted. Dick noticed the attack just in time, and raised his staff to block it. Batman's arm blades proved the stronger and split the staff in two while his fist connected with the head of black hair.

He attempted to get another hit in, but ever the acrobat Dick was already moving away from his adversary and repositioning himself. He took a stand a few feet in front of Batman, and rather than use the broken staff as he once wielded his escrima sticks, he discarded the broken ends, throwing them to the side and taking out his katana.

He came at his father without any restraint in his form. Batman had to parry the strikes with his arm blades, which kept him on the defensive. At one point, he saw the smallest of flaws in Dick's stance and attempted to strike him. Big mistake. With his arms extended and no longer able to block an attack from that side, Dick used to free hand to pull a knife and shove it into Bruce's abdomen. He retreated from the blow and was given but a split second to evaluate the wound before Dick pulled a second katana from his back and came at him again.

Bruce had fought Talons before. He had fought and defeated Cobb on more than one occasion in fact, and the man was said to be the greatest Talon of them all. But Cobb was a knife thrower. Not half the acrobat that Dick was. And while he did have bulk and strength over his son, brute force up against speed and agility did not make for much of an advantage. Especially when Dick was swinging the sword like a professional. Absolutely nothing was wasted in his movements. Each and every stroke was that of a master swordsman.

That's when it hit him.

The oddity in Dick's movements that he couldn't define before. This was it. His movements were far more lethal. Were he anyone else, he'd be dead already. And that wasn't the extent of it. Dick should not have been this well adjusted to fighting with blades weapons. Aside from the use of birdarangs, Batman had his proteges abstain from all forms of deadly weapons. For him to be this skilled with them...

...He only could have gotten that training from one place.

Batman saw through his next attack and managed to grab both blades in either hand, his armored gloves protecting him from harm. He then closed the distance between himself and his protege so that their noses were practically touching. Both of them had their eyes narrowed on the other.

"If you truly hate the Court so much..." Batman said to his son, "...then why are you using Cobb's training against me?"

Dick's eyes widened in shock at the accusation, which was all the confirmation that Bruce needed.

Before he could expand on the topic, Dick's head snapped forward and his forehead collided with Bruce's nose in a wet _crack_. Disoriented, he could do nothing as Dick released one of the swords and gripped Bruce's wrist to throw the man like a rag doll with his enhanced strength. Bruce was sent flying directly into a bookcase. Or rather, _through_ the bookcase. The other side was hollowed out, and Bruce soon found himself tumbling down a flight of stone stairs. He came to a stop at the landing, and turned furiously in every direction to get his barrings.

It was a large rectangular chamber. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of marble, and the whole area was lit with candles that were scattered about. The only other things that filled the empty space were large stone owl statues, in varying stances, sizes, and positions. Most unsettling of all, was that they all had their eyes fixed on his position.

"Behind an actual bookcase?" Dick mused as he stalked down the stairs, drawing Bruce's attention back towards him. He was back to one blade, and had it extended to the side so that it scrapped against the wall where he walked. Small sparks danced off where the tip was leaving a groove in the otherwise flawless stone. "She's even more old school than you."

"Dick, you have to stop this." He pleaded, desperation clear and hard in his voice. "Don't you understand? If you do this, you'll never be able to come back from it."

Dick snarled again as he leapt up with his blade. "It's you who doesn't understand Bruce!" He landed blade first on his guardian, who crossed his arms in an x formation to stop the blade. But that left him open to the savage kick that was delivered to his side. "I don't _want_ to come back from this!"

Bruce was too stunned to get back up after crashing into the stone wall. He could just barely block the clashes as Dick wailed on him with the sword. "It's not going to stop with her! The Joker! Deathstroke! Tarantula! Everyone who ever took something from me is going to pay!"

"We don't kill!" Batman fought back, bringing his other arm down on the blade to snap it with the strength of his gauntlets. He then managed to deliver a powerful blow to Dick's chest, pushing him into the center of the row of owl statues.

" _I_ do!" With a speed that shouldn't be possible given its' weight, Dick heaved up and _threw_ one of the owl figures. It shattered against Bruce's torso, along with several of his ribs, and knocked him onto his back.

Bruce turned over and spat out a wad of blood from his mouth, before attempting to get up. And just like that, Dick was upon him again. He straddled his lower body and pinned his left hand, before lodging a knife into the palm of his right. Bruce didn't make a sound except to further plead with his son.

"It's not for us to decide Dick." He said through the pain that came from talking. "That's what makes us different from them. It's not our place to-"

He was interrupted when the powerful impact of a fist connected with the side of his face. Dick had his eyes narrowed in on him in that same predatory fashion once again. "I agree. It's not _your_ place." He said before landing another hit. " _You_ weren't there. _You_ didn't see what they did. _You_ didn't feel it."

Bruce finally managed to break his left hand free and catch the fist before another strike could land. "Don't do this Dick. Please. You've experienced great suffering. I understa-"

Dick yanked his hand free and started in again, snarling like a wild animal and delivering jab after jab with untamed ferocity. He felt bones creek and crack beneath his knuckles, and his vision was blinded with red. When he spoke, it was like listening to a lion roar.

"NO!"

*Punch*

"YOU!"

*Punch*

"DON'T!"

*Punch*

"You don't understand! You'll never understand! You were never trapped with no escape! You were never twisted and warped until you became the very thing you hated most! You were never hollowed out and filled back up with anger! You were never abandoned! You were never left alone! You-You-You-"

Dick struggled to get the words out. The inner turmoil he had been trying so hard to keep hidden from the world was coming out violently like a dam had burst. Hatred was in complete control of his body, and the Talon in him reveled in the pain he was causing.

And suddenly, the last of his walls gave way and he screamed in an inhuman voice.

"YOU DIDN'T SAVE ME!" He screamed loud enough for the heavens to hear as tears of anger and pain swept down his face. Those words had been locked away inside of him for far too long. He continued his onslaught without mercy as he continued to release every single disdain he had been keeping bottled up. "YOU DIDN'T COME! YOU LEFT ME THERE! I WAITED FOR YOU! I WAITED AND YOU NEVER CAME! YOU LET THEM HURT ME! YOU LET THEM RUIN ME! YOU LEFT ME THERE ALL ALONE! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH!"

His blows gradually became weaker as the young man dissolved into tears, but his words hurt more than the physical injuries ever could. Each one cut into Bruce so deeply that he barely even registered the punches. Some part of him had always feared the possibility that Dick didn't forgive him for not saving him. He couldn't even decide if those words were true or not. All that mattered is that they were true for Dick. Dick felt abandoned by him. Dick blamed him. Dick hated him. He couldn't even bring himself to be hurt after listening to the end of Dick's rant. A comfortable numbness settled in his chest. He didn't bother to fight back against the hits anymore, even to defend himself.

After another few minutes, by which point one of Bruce's eyes was swollen shut, his lip was split, and whatever ribs that weren't broken were at least severely fractured, the hits stopped coming. Above him, Dick had broken down into choked whimpers and sobs. His tears fell to his hands and mixed with his father's blood.

Pushing past the pain that ran through his body with every move he made, Bruce rose a single gloved hand to the boy's face. Dick caught it before it even came close. "Don't touch me." He bit out sharply, but there was a contrast between his tone and his eyes. His look to Bruce was one of pleading. Begging. "Please don't touch me."

After pushing the hand back down, Dick unceremoniously got to his feet and turned towards the stone staircase. He never looked back to his guardian. He just went forward with his head down.

Bruce wasn't sure how exactly he did it, but he willed his body to push itself up. Agony flared across every vein and muscle, but he couldn't care less about that. He moved forward. Slowly. One foot in front of the other. It was as fast as he could manage. It was even more difficult when he got to the steps. Gravity raged against him, but he refused to surrender now. He leaned forward and levied his weight against some of the higher steps, and began to crawl his way up. He could do nothing but hope beyond hope that he could make it in time.

And when he got past the top stair and saw Dick in front of the Judge with his sword raised, he could only think about how lucky he was that he hadn't been there a moment later.

"Stop." He gasped out, somehow getting to his feet. Dick seemed startled by his sudden appearance. Enough so that he turned towards him with wide eyes and lowered his sword. "Please. Stop."

Dick narrowed his eyes at him again. But this time it was not in anger or frustration, but sadness. "You're the one who needs to stop Bruce." Dick said in a low voice. "Stop clinging to Dick Grayson. Stop pretending that he's still alive. Stop acting like you can save me."

From the other side of their respective barriers, the entire Team watched the exchange in silence. They had long since stopped in their vain attempts to break through the barriers, and there was still over two hours to go before they went away naturally. There was a type of tension in the room that was more intense than anything they had experienced before. It was not an unfamiliar sensation. They were heroes after all. They were responsible for keeping the world from falling apart. They saved people on a daily basis. They had collectively saved the world on more than one occasion. But somehow this situation felt more predominant than all of those things. This was different. It was their teammate. They're friend.

And that only added to the dread in all of it. Right now, before their very eyes, their friend committing cold blooded murder was a very real possibility. And there was nothing they could do to stop it. All their hope now had to go to Batman. Someone who they categorically disliked even before they ever heard the title 'Court of Owls'. Because if he failed here and now, any trace of Richard Grayson would be erased from the world forever.

"I _can_ save you. And you _are_ Dick Grayson." Batman said as he maintained his position. His limbs were too stiff to move forward anymore. "I know you don't believe it, and I know how naive I must sound to you, but it's true. You are Dick Grayson. You're the boy who saved me. The same boy who saved countless lives. The same boy who insisted I take in Jason."

He thought using Jason's name would help. Dick had adored his younger brother, and been shattered when he died. But the response he got was the exact opposite of what he intended.

"Jason is dead!" He snapped with eyes glazed over with unshed tears. "He's gone because we spare lives! How many deaths have we been responsible for because we keep giving the Joker second chances!?"

"You sparred Haly and the Owls." Batman reminded, which caused Dick to go silent. "Make your excuses about how they weren't the ones you wanted. That they were just prongs on the ladder to get to the Judge. It doesn't change a thing. You hated them too. You had every right to. And you every reason to kill them all after you interrogated them. But instead you showed mercy. No Talon would ever do that. But it's exactly what _Robin_ would do."

"I'm _not_ Robin." Dick said, his voice beginning to waver and more tears beginning to flow freely. "And I'm not Nightwing. They were heroes. I-I'm a m-monst-"

"You are _not_ a monster! What happened was _not_ your fault." He was speaking now with that nameless sort of conviction that only Batman was capable of. "If I have to spend the rest of my life trying to convince you of that fact, then so be it. I'll leave Batman behind and lock up the cave if that's what it takes because that's how much you mean to me. You're my _son. My son._ Taking you in was without exception the happiest moment of my life, and in more ways than one. You didn't just save me, you saved _Batman_.

"You brought a light to my life that hadn't been their since my parents died. And Robin kept me from losing myself to the life. From the moment you first put on the mask, I always hoped you would be a better hero than me. But I _knew_ you would be a better man. And you _are_. It doesn't matter that you killed Zucco. It doesn't matter that you think you're a monster. The Court had you under control whether you'd like to admit it or not.

"But now it's different. Now you are responsible for your own actions." Batman then shocked them all by taking off his utility belt and dropping it to the floor, rendering himself defenseless. "If you choose to kill her now...I won't stop you. I won't turn you into the League, and the police will never know about it. It will be like this night never happened."

Now the entire room was looking at Batman as though he had lost his mind. Every word he just uttered went against his code. He only made them further surprised by taking off his cowl, his normally impassive face contorted in worry and fear, and looking his son in the eye.

"I am putting all my faith in you. The cycle has to end Dick. We're better than this. We _must_ be better than this." With one last knowing look, Bruce took a step back to clear the space between Samantha and Dick. "The choice you make tonight will define you for the rest of your life. And if you allow your tragedies to define who you are..."

"...then you will end up just like me."

* * *

**Dick**

Richard John Grayson had never been so filled with hatred and blood-lust than he was at that moment. The anger was roaring openly like a fire in his chest. And that fire was spreading to every muscle and nerve in his body. He could feel it behind his eyes, and in the tips of his fingers.

He just hated them all so much!

He hated the Judge for what she did to him! He hated Cobb for making it his legacy! He hated Zucco for setting him on this path! He hated his friends for coming here and trying to stop him! He hated himself for wanting this so badly!

But more than anything, he hated Bruce for being right.

He never wanted to be Batman. He never wanted to become bitter and closed off and obsessed with revenge. He never wanted to lose his friends and become an outcast, losing himself to the man behind the mask. And something inside of him shattered when he realized that was exactly what he had done and what he had become.

Damn them!

Damn them _**all**!_

Why couldn't they all just die?!

Why did the Joker get to live while his little brother died?!

Why did George Harkness get to live when he made Timmy an orphan?!

Why did Sportsmaster get to live when he systematically abused Artemis and Jade throughout their entire childhood?!

Why did Klarion get to live after he killed Tula and broke Kaldur's heart?!

Why did Queen Bee get to live after she murdered Garfield's mother?!

Why did-

Why couldn't-

 **Damn it!** Why did they get everything that should be _**his**_ _?!_

Why did they have families and people who loved them?! Why weren't they the ones maimed and tortured for months without any relief or hope or comfort?! Why did they get to be happy for even a moment?!

Why did it happen to _**him**?!_

What did he do to deserve it?!

His entire life he only wanted to help people! He never wanted to hurt anyone! Never!

 _"Then don't let them win by hurting someone now"_ A voice in the far reaches of his mind whispered. Dick wept, because that voice sounded just like his mother.

It was too much! It was all too much!

Richard Grayson did the only thing he could. The only thing that could he could manage without caring what happened next.

He screamed.

* * *

Everyone jumped back from the agonizing scream that tore through Dick's throat. It sounded like he was in pain. No one knew what to make of it. They could only watch as Dick dropped his sword, gripped the sides of his head, and continued to wail without end.

Sooner or later, something gave. Either he lost his voice from screaming so much, or his energy was completely drained, or most likely a combination of the two. Dick simply sank to his knees at some point and stayed down.

Batman approached his son cautiously. Both as to not agitate his injuries as well as to keep from provoking Dick. He just wanted to wrap his arms around the boy, and tell him that everything would be okay.

And for one last time, something kept that from happening.

Before anyone could react, Dick shot up and grabbed Samantha by the throat, forcefully pulled her from the knife that restrained her wrist, and slammed her back against the wall. For a moment they thought he was going to kill her. But then they heard him speak.

"You _will_ listen to me!" Even though he was whispering, ever single word would be ingrained in their minds forever. "You are going to spend the rest of your life in a cell. And for the rest of your life, I'll be _watching you!_ " He seethed as a claw from his hand came up and stroked her face. "I'll watch you at your hearth. I'll watch you in your bed. And if you _ever_ do anything to hurt me or my loved ones again, a Talon _will,_ _ **believe me,**_ come for your head!"

Nightwing allowed his hold to loosen until wealthy woman he had been holding up she slipped from his hand and sank to the floor. She the appeared to scramble away from him and backed up to the wall, her eyes wide in fear. One glance and it was clear. She may not be killed tonight, but she would never feel safe again. It was nothing less than what she deserved.

Dick was breathing very heavily. He didn't know what he was supposed to do now. The Judge was alive. Batman was broken. Tim was unconscious. The Team was still trapped. He supposed he should have begun by setting them free but...

...but he just couldn't.

He couldn't do anything right now. The anger was still very much there. And he was afraid that if he allowed himself to move right then, he would go over and snap the Judge's neck.

So he just stood there. He only remained standing through sheer strength of will. All he really wanted to do was lay down in a fetal position. It was over. He wouldn't kill. Never again. But now he didn't have any drive. He had no purpose. He had jailed his friends. He had attacked his brother. He had abandoned Barbara. He had damned near killed his own father. How could he ever hope to make up for what had happened here tonight?

No one wanted him there. They wanted him to disappear. The Judge was right. He was an ugly, vile, revolting mon-

His thoughts were cut short by a strong pair of arms that wrapped around his thin frame. He completely froze up. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. There was only one other free and conscious person in the room.

It must have been utter hell to move in his condition. But he did it anyway just to give his son a hug.

Dick's breathing became rapid and shaky and he raised a hand and gripped the wrist around his torso in an effort to pull it off. He was much stronger than Bruce at the moment, especially when you took the man's injuries into account. Though he just couldn't put any true effort into his attempt to removed the limb from around his chest. He was too spent. Emotionally and physically spent.

"Let me go." He whispered in a broken and frayed voice. His throat had been through hell as of late. In the Court, he screamed so much in pain that he eventually damaged his vocal cords, and he was no longer able to speak at all. When he became a Talon, that damage was repaired with haste. Then he would damage it through pained cries again, and the cycle would begin anew. "Please."

"No." Batman said as he shifted his weight onto Dick, no longer able to stand the pain. Despite not wanting to be touched, Dick helped his father stay upright. "I'm never letting you go again."

Something in that small promise was enough to make Dick snap. He leaned into Bruce's chest, careful to mind his broken ribs, and lightly cried into it. Together, they collapsed to their knees and just laid there. In that moment, he was no longer Talon, Nightwing, or Robin. He was the same circus boy who had just watched his parents die in front of him. And just as it had been all those years ago, Bruce kept his arms around the boy and allowed him to break down into his chest.

A few moments in, Bruce noticed something on the floor out of the corner of his eye. It was the Father Box. Without disturbing Dick, Bruce managed to reach down and grab the Father Box before crushing it in his hand with what little strength he had left. The stasis field around the Team vanished into thin air, though they all remained where they stood. Like Dick, it appeared they had no idea what to do now. Batman took it upon himself to give them direction.

He turned to the Judge, who was still looking at Dick like a tiger who could pounce on her at any moment. He glared at her, and the smallest part of him regretted the choice to stay Dick's hand. It would always be there no matter how much he wished it was not. "Get her out of here."

Superboy and Aqualad complied, walking over to her and lifting her up to put cuffs on her. She offered no resistance. She was still trembling in fear, which neither young man could care less about.

He then looked to Miss Martian. "She knows Dick's identity. Have her meet with your uncle. He has certain ways of, let's say, changing a person's mind."

M'gann gave him a knowing look before she helped the boys escort her out. The entire time her eyes never left Dick's broken form.

Finally, he looked at Tim, still laying on the floor. He sighed. "Take him to the manor. Agent A will look after him." Roy, Wally, and Artemis all shared a look before Roy and Artemis both heaved up the unconscious boy, Roy at his legs and Artemis at his arms, and carried him out.

Wally stayed in the room for a moment and looked at his best friend. Never before had he seen such a strong person look so vulnerable. It hurt to watch nearly as much as the video of Dick killing Zucco. Wally gave a look to Bruce.

Bruce looked back at him. Even though there was no verbal communication, Wally knew exactly what he was trying to convey.

_"Take care of Tim. I have him. He's my son. I'll take care of him. I won't screw up again."_

Wally sped out of the room, leaving father and son by themselves.

Bruce had no idea how long they stayed in that position. It could have been an hour or two for all he knew. He didn't mind. He needed this as much as Dick. There was still the off chance that Dick would not forgive his mistakes. And if that was the case, this would be the most he saw of the boy for quite some time.

It was Dick who eventually calmed down. Enough so that he looked up at Bruce, yellow eyes possessing a look that made him resemble a lost child. "What happens now?"

Bruce gave him one last squeeze, the pain that flared through his chest being the farthest thing from his mind. "Now, we go home son."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes:
> 
> (1) For clarity, this would be the New 52 Red Robin suit.
> 
> (2) In case you didn't catch it, this is the same home they share in Season 3.
> 
> (3) If that didn't get you right in the feels, I have failed as a writer.
> 
> (4) Derek Powers later becomes the main antagonist of Batman Beyond. I did the math and he would be a teenager at that time period.
> 
> (5) I'll be honest. This particular piece of banter is taken directly from Nightwing Vol. 3 #21.
> 
> (6-8) I decided to include a theme of Talons who defected from the Court of Owls. Their stories are listed below.
> 
> (6) Raymond McCreary was the childhood best friend of Richard Grayson in the Haly's Circus. However, after Dick was taken in by Bruce, the Court chose Raymond to take Dick's place as their new Talon. He was trained and tortured by the Court over a number of years before they eventually realized that he would never be as good as Dick. Unlike the other two I have listed, Raymond did not leave the Court by choice. Rather, they cast him out and left him in the woods to die. Raymond survived, but held Dick and the circus responsible for his suffering. He later attempted to take revenge against both, operating under the name Saiko.
> 
> (7) Calvin Rose was an abused child who was locked in a dog kennel by his father as a boy. However, this lead to Calvin obtaining a skill for picking locks and getting out of tight spaces. He would later run away and become an escape artist at the Haly's Circus. After being chosen to become a Talon, Calvin spent years undergoing training before being left in the Labyrinth so the Court could drive him mad and ensure his compliance. However, Calvin escaped the Labyrinth, becoming the only Talon ever to do so. This lead to him maintaining his own free will and morality. Due to this, when Calvin was sent on his very first assignment, he rescued his intended target and her daughter and got them away from to Court and lead them to safety. Calvin currently works in Gotham as an ally to Batman.
> 
> (8) Mary Turner was horribly disfigured at a young age by a bomb attached to a balloon which was sent by Emperor Hirohito to cause panic in the United States during World War II. Through unknown circumstances, she joined the Haly's circus after the bombs killed her family and left her deformed. As a Talon, Mary was an explosives expert who faced Batgirl at the Gotham City Police Department during the Night of Owls. Over the course of the fight, Batgirl takes note of the fact that Mary moves exactly as Nightwing does. At one point in the fight, Mary overpowers Batgirl and has the perfect opportunity to kill her. However, Mary only pressed two fingers to her cowl and walked away. After claiming victory in the fight, Batgirl asks why Mary didn't kill her. Unable to speak, Mary wrote down in her own blood that like her, Batgirl also wore a mask, and she understood what it was like to hide behind one. Mary later joined the Birds of Prey under the name Strix, the Latin word for Owl.
> 
> (9) Again, I have no knowledge on how this applies to the comics. This information on the Judge of Owls comes from Batman vs. Robin.
> 
> Got to be honest, writing this emotionally wrecked me so I really hope you liked it. Only one chapter left! If all goes as planned I should have it up by the end of the week.
> 
> Before I forget, my friend is doing much better. I want to thank you all for such a positive feed back. It meant a lot. I hope you've all stayed happy and healthy in these times, and will continue to do so.
> 
> Thank you all for your reviews! They give me life. It's like a private Lazarus Pit.
> 
> I'll see you all soon.
> 
> Bye for now! ;)


	5. Hero

**Dick**

Dick was laying down in his bed staring up at the ceiling. Despite what had taken place earlier that night, this was a surprisingly peaceful moment. There was no shouting between the Bats, no tears spilled in apologizes or pleadings for forgiveness. Nothing at all really. There was no emotion to him whatsoever.

But still, he could hardly call this a state of calm. It felt like his insides were being gripped by an invisible force and then were twisted and jerked violently within him.

This wasn't right. He had nearly killed the woman who tortured him for months mere hours ago. Bruce had poured his heart and soul out to him. Dick had no idea what he should be feeling after all that, but he knew he should be feeling _something_.

This was not the first time this had happened to him. This unwelcome feeling of numbness. It had come to him once before in his life. It had been the night that his family had died.

Oddly enough, he hadn't even cried at first. He had screamed of course, and remained horrified for several hours. After that he just entered a sort of catatonic state and didn't respond at all when the officers on the scene attempted to ask him questions. He hadn't fully grasped the situation yet. The finality of it.

Ironically that state of numbness would end up being the best he would feel in the days to come. A calm before the storm. But as storms always do, it overturned the peace suddenly and violently.

He had just been sitting there in the back of a police car with a thin and worn blanket draped around his shoulders. He was staring ahead of him, but didn't really perceive anything he heard nor saw. Not until he saw one of the officers bagging a particular piece of evidence. He wasn't sure how he had even noticed it in that state, but he had.

It had been a small, stainless steel locket. He knew it right away. He and John had asked mister Haly for some money so they could go into town and eat. He hadn't given them much, but in Dick's childish and carefree mind he was certain it would be enough. He and his cousin went into town, not to get food, but to go to a jewelry store.

His mother's birthday would be coming up soon, and he had wanted to buy her something special. He fell in love with the locket in the display case the moment he saw it, and asked the woman who ran the store if his mommy could please have it. The woman had smiled kindly at him. Looking back, there was no way on Earth that the money they had with them was enough for such a beautiful piece. She had been sold it to them for what must have been a fifth of what it was worth because it had been so heart warming for a son to love his mother so much.

A few days later, his mother was opening a long line of gifts from everyone at the circus. There wasn't a man, woman, or child who met Mary Grayson and didn't love her. He and John had saved their joint present for last.

They had managed to make the locket exactly as they wanted. The woman at the store had been overly generous and had a picture of the entire Grayson family set inside of it. And on the other side of it, the following words were engraved proudly in Romani:

 _~Te iubesc atât de mult mami! La multi ani!_ _De, micul tău prihor.~_

_~I love you so much mommy! Happy Birthday! From, your little robin.~_

His mother had been shocked at first, no doubt wondering how her son ever could have afforded it. But that shock eventually gave way to unrestrained joy. Her smile had been like a light. It reflected in everyone's faces. That smile was without exception the most beautiful thing Dick Grayson had ever beheld. She wore that necklace proudly at every single performance from that point onward.

And then, he saw that very same locket being zipped up inside an evidence bag, with blood splattered over the picture inside.

That had done it. That had caused the dam to burst. Suddenly, eight year old Richard Grayson understood the situation. He would never see his family again. He would never again feel his cousin ruffle his hair or tease him until they rough housed. Never again have his aunt and uncle pinch his cheeks and marvel at how adorable he was. Never again ask his father to cuddle him in his strong yet soft hugs.

Never again see his mother smile like she had on that day when she saw her present from her little robin.

Dick had scared the officers senseless by suddenly bursting into tears, seemingly without provocation. All they could do was hush the boy and tell him that everything would be okay. He had wanted so badly to scream at them that it _wasn't_ okay. That it would never be okay.

But all that came from his mouth were agonizing sobs.

His family was dead.

He was alone.

How could it ever be okay again?

But a month or so later, Bruce entered his life.

And suddenly, he had a family again.

But now he had no idea what would come next.

He had completely panicked when Bruce passed out from his injuries before they even got to the car. He had used his enhanced strength to load the older man into the passengers' seat and take the wheel, before proceeding to drive like a madman to the cave. He had no idea he had hit Bruce that hard. He had just been so angry, and it had been like everyone around him was fair game.

He had made it to the cave in less than three minutes, and carried Bruce over his shoulder to the medical wing. Imagine his surprise when he found Doctors Tompkins and Mid-Nite already in the cave with Alfred. They had been leaning over one of the medical cots and didn't seem to notice someone had entered the cave until he started screaming for help.

Alfred stood there looking at him like he had seen a ghost, but the two medical professionals running past him seemed to snap him back to reality. They got Bruce to a different cot and started to look him over. Before anyone could ask him what had happened, Dick turned his head and saw who they had been working on, and his heart stopped. It was Tim. The Team must have beaten him here and dropped him off.

But he wasn't moving! Why wasn't he moving?!

He demanded to know what was wrong with Tim right then and there. Mid-Nite, still looking over Bruce's uncountable injuries, had given him the uncensored truth without thinking. His skull had been fractured, and he had a concussion that they would need to bring down.

Dick's stomach dropped and his legs nearly gave out then and there. He had looked between the two unconscious heroes as the horrible truth finally dawned on him.

 _He_ had done this. _Him._ It was like the haze of anger had finally faded away, and now he could see what he had done for what it was. He had nearly killed his father and brother. And that wasn't even the extent of it.

He had all but strangled Artemis! She had a massive bruise on her throat at the mansion, but he had been to preoccupied with trying to kill the Judge to really care. Oh God, Wally must hate him! And what about Babs?! He had abandoned her right when her world had begun to crumble around her!

How could he ever hope for any this right after all he had done?!

But just as quickly as it had come, his feelings of panic had drifted away. A dull indifference had crept in where feeling should have been. It was like a part of him decided he simply wasn't going to deal with it, and closed off all his emotion. He had no idea what brought it on, or what he was supposed to do next. He only knew one thing.

He knew that couldn't do this. He couldn't stay here and continue to look at what he had done. Not right now. Not after everything else that had happened that night.

Dick had run upstairs in a blur, ignoring Alfred's worried calls for him.

That was how he found himself in his current position. Hiding in his bedroom in the manor, staring up at the ceiling, remaining as still as a corpse. He didn't know what else he could do.

Where would he go? What would he do?

Before he could dwell on his future any further, a soft knock came at the door. Dick's whole body snapped to attention, a lingering reflex from his time with the Court, at the sound. He stood up and got into a defensive stance out of habit, even though he knew logically that someone coming after him wouldn't bother to knock first.

"Master Richard?" A firm accented voice asked from the other side of the door.

It was odd how the sound of the elderly man's voice caused his whole body to relax once again. Dick made his way to the door slowly and opened it to find Alfred with his hand raised, most likely about to knock again.

Alfred was looking at him with an unreadable expression, and it occurred to Dick that such a reaction made perfect sense. He had come into the cave with Bruce practically on death's door. Alfred could only deal with one earth-shattering revelation at a time. He probably hadn't taken in the full weight of Dick's presence in the manor before now.

Dick's musings were abruptly cut short when he was suddenly lurched forward by a pair of arms pulling him into a warm embrace. Alfred, the man who showed emotion even less than Bruce, was hugging him. Dick thought he felt a small tremble in the man's form, and he knew for a fact that Alfred was rubbing small circles on his back just like he used to do when Dick was a child, but the original Boy Wonder still couldn't bring himself to feel a thing.

Emotion or no, Dick still had common sense, and still cared about his loved ones. He slowly brought his own arms up to return the hug, albeit a very slight and gentle one. Even months after his transformation, Dick was still not quite accustomed to his new strength. And he had hurt Alfred enough as of late.

"You foolish boy." Alfred muttered into his shoulder. "Don't you dare put this family through that ever again."

Dick gave Alfred a small squeeze rather than a verbal response. His mind was a mess right now, thoughts of what may come next were swirling in is head like a storm cloud, and he still wasn't sure what it was that he was feeling. But there was only one thing he was clear on. He didn't ever want his family to hurt on his account.

They stayed like that for another minute before Alfred pulled back from the hug and shifted his hands circular motion on the boy's back to a grip on his shoulder. Alfred was staring at him now. Taking him in like he was checking to see if anything had changed in Dick since they last saw each other.

Something most definitely had. The last time they had seen each other, Dick had been a mess, haunted by nightmares over his past deeds and fearful of discovery. Then there was the period where Dick left, which Alfred hadn't been present for. At that time his vulnerability had mutated into unrestrained hatred and wrath. And now...well...

Now he didn't even know. He had no idea what this hollow feeling in his chest would give way to, or when it might subside. What the hell was he supposed to feel after he beat his father and brother into unconsciousness, and then watched as the woman that had destroyed his life was dragged away in handcuffs? He had already shed his tears and vented his anger, and those were the only two things that had accompanied him since his return from the Court (sans the short lived periods of joy that Wally and Roy had given him). With neither depression nor rage, it was like there was nothing left for him _to_ feel.

"Master Dick?" Again the former assassin's thoughts were cut short by the sound of Alfred's voice. Dick's eyes refocused on him. For some reason, Alfred looked far older than he was. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Dick said, more out of reflex than thought. Alfred's eyes instantly narrowed on him. Dick may have been able to dodge Bruce's questions from time to time, but never Alfred's. Dick sighed and lowered his head as he turned around and went back to his bed. "Everything?" He said in an unsure tone as he plopped back down on the mattress in a sitting position. "I don't know."

Alfred's brows furrowed as he walked in and sat down next to Dick. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"That makes two of us." Dick said without any sharpness. His tone was far more akin to exhaustion. He let out a long sigh before elaborating. "What the hell happens now?"

Alfred still looked at the young man like he didn't understand what the problem was. He made movement to put his arm around the young lad as he answered. "You're home now Master Dick. You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Don't I?" Dick asked as he shrugged off Alfred's arm, still keeping his eyes down. "I killed five people, and tortured another nine. Not to mention all the people I've been terrorizing in Bludhaven the last few months. To top it off I tried to kill someone _in front_ of _Batman and_ _the entire Team_ earlier _tonight_. Things can never be the same again."

Though his words were depressing to hear, the tone they were delivered in was calloused. Dick was so concerned right now over what came next that he couldn't even summon the energy to regret his acts over the past two months, nor the deaths with in the Labyrinth which proceeded them. He didn't even care at the moment.

It didn't go unnoticed by Alfred. Oddly enough this uncaring state that Dick was in was far more concerning than the traumatized state he was in upon his initial return to the manor. Even his two month long rampage did not frighten Alfred this much. Dick Grayson was the heart of the family. He was the one who wasn't afraid to let himself feel, and share his emotions with others. He was no tormented man that had grown numb to the world. ~~He wasn't like his mentor.~~ At least, he hadn't been. But that had been before all of this.

At that thought Alfred allowed his mind to wander to what Dick had said. What _did_ come next? They could try to help Dick through this, but the boy had been right in saying that things wouldn't be as they once had. The bond that had once existed between Bruce and Tim was damaged. In fact, 'damaged' was putting it lightly. As far as Alfred was concerned, it was irrevocably torn to pieces. They could try to repair the bond, and might succeed to some degree, but something deep within the butler told him that something had been lost between them. And that thing was gone forever.

As for Dick...that was another matter entirely. Richard had been through more in the span of a few months than most people had to endure in a lifetime. He had killed. He had nearly _been_ killed. Alfred knew from personal experience that there was no expiration date on that kind of trauma. For better or for worse, Dick would never be the same again.

But then again, Dick had always been one to fight against the odds. The entire family had. And sometimes they even succeeded. Alfred could only hope that this would be one of those times. And make that happen, he would have to play his part as well.

"Let's not think about that right now." He said, believing that dismissing the question rather than scramble to come up with a reasonable answer that may not exist. "Right now you are home and you are with your family. That is all that we could ever hope to ask for."

Alfred felt the corners of his lips tug downwards when he realized that his words had done nothing to sway Dick from his emotional impasse. He hadn't been sure if it were a good idea, and he still had his qualms with it, but he saw no alternative now. "Master Bruce is awake." Alfred said, breaking the heavy silence between them. "He is asking for you."

His words at least got a response out of Dick. The young boy turned to him with a startled expression and something akin to fear. Of all the emotions he was hoping to get out of the boy, that had not been one of them.

" _What the fuck?_ " Dick said under his breath. Normally Alfred would berate him for using such language on the spot, but if ever there were a time let it slide... "What the fuck?!" Dick repeated, his voice raising in volume. "Why would he want to see me?!"

"You are his son." Alfred answered matter-of-factly, remaining unmovable despite Dick's use of profanity. "Why wouldn't he want to see you?"

"I just beat him to a bloody pulp!" Dick said, the small amount of panic that had been in his voice being replaced with exasperation. "What the hell do I say to him after that?!"

"I don't know Master Dick." Alfred answered honestly. "I truly don't know. But you two need to speak to each other. And I am aware that it is a great deal to ask from you, given everything you've been through, but I must ask you to find it in your heart to forgive him."

Dick was giving Alfred a look that told the older man he didn't understand the request. Forgive him? For what exactly. It was true that a part of him still blamed Bruce for not finding him and rescuing him, but there was no way for Alfred to know that. He must have been talking about something-

Oh. _Oooohhhhhhh_. There was really only one other point of contention between the original Dynamic Duo. Only one that Alfred would have knowledge about anyway. He meant the way Bruce had reacted to seeing that tape. The confrontation which had started this whole mess.

But that revelation did nothing to assuage his confusion. Because what was there to forgive? Bruce had taken it a step too far by even considering Arkham as an option. No one denied that. But Dick never blamed Bruce for the way he reacted. "There's nothing to forgive."

Alfred narrowed his eyes on the younger man. Even Dick didn't sound convinced by his own words. Dick just shook his head and looked away. "I know he didn't mean it. He was...shocked...seeing me like that."

"Of course, Master Dick." Alfred said in a calm voice. "Now if only you believed that."

Dick's eyes snapped to Alfred with a glare already forming on his face. "What are you-"

"I have served the Wayne family long before there was a bat signal shining in Gotham's sky." Alfred reminded the young man. A part of him berated himself for cutting Richard off mid-sentence, but this was far more important than being courteous. "And you are a part of that family. That is why, even while you lot may be able to hide your inner turmoil from the rest of the world, you cannot and you will not be able to hide it from me, Master Dick. And that is why I know a part of you has yet to forgive him."

Dick fixed him with a frustrated glare. "So what? _I_ don't know my own mind but _you_ do?"

Alfred sighed and pressed his middle finger to his temple where a headache was just beginning to form. He decided to take a different approach to get through the boy's incredibly thick skull. "Master Dick, if you truly believed that Master Bruce was not in the wrong, and you never resented him for his behavior in any way, you would feel relieved to be back in this manor." The elderly man explained as he looked to the younger imploringly. "Tell me, do you feel relieved?"

Dick's glare faded and vanished, quickly replaced by a look of uncertainty. "I don't know what I'm feeling."

"Well you are not relieved Master Dick. You're miserable. And so is Master Bruce." Alfred said as he put his hand back on Dick's shoulder despite his repeated attempts to shrug it off. "I beg of you, Master Dick. Go to him. Put an end to this."

There was not much he could really say to argue the butler's point. Alfred's word was _law_. Besides, he was still that same state of uncomfortable numbness, (not counting the brief, short lived flickers of emotion that came up while he talked to his surrogate grandfather) and the best way to get rid of that would be to see what he had done to Bruce. He would take anything to subside the empty feeling in his chest at this point. Even guilt.

He nodded slowly and got up from the bed, going downstairs without another word. The sensation was familiar in a horrible way. While playing at being a Talon, he had followed the Court's orders while refusing to let any expression or defiance arise in his features. Now he was doing it involuntarily.

As he went downstairs, Dick found that he had been dormant in his room for longer than he realized. The sun was well over the horizon, and was currently filling the manor with a warm glow as it shined in through the windows. No wonder Alfred had looked so tired. It also explained why Bruce was suddenly awake.

Dick tried his best to keep his mind clear as he moved through the manor, pushed aside the grandfather clock, and went down to the cave. Once inside he saw Tompkins and Mid-Nite chatting in the corner. His sensitive ears picked up on bits and pieces of the conversation. He caught the words 'not too bad' and 'a few stitches'. They probably meant Tim. He had done a number on Bruce, and they would never qualify the condition Dick had left him in as 'not too bad'.

Dick utilized the his stealth techniques (both those he developed as Nightwing, as well as those beaten into him by Cobb) to sneak past the two doctors. He made his way into the medical bay of the cave, and looked through the clear barrier that separated him from his family.

He saw Tim's room first. The now Ex-Boy Wonder was still out of it. That said, his injuries didn't seem too severe. The only thing to indicate that he was knocked out rather than just sleeping was the medical gauze that Tompkins had wrapped around his head at the sight of the injury, which still allowed a large tuft of ebony hair to peak out from the top. His expression was rather peaceful. There was only one problem.

His suit was red. Dick had noticed this before, and it was most likely some kind of assertion of independence from the Bat. But still, that sight set something off in him. Dick blinked, and in an instant he was no longer seeing Tim. He was looking at Jason's corpse. His body broken by the explosion that stole his life. His uniform dyed red with his own blood.

Dick shook his head in defiance, refusing to allow his mind to dwell on that particularly painful memory. He looked back up, and again he saw Tim Drake in the place of Jason Todd.

Dick backed away from the small medical room, but did not proceed forward to find Bruce's right away. He needed a moment to process the momentary flashback, as well as what was to come. Tim's head wound was nowhere near as bad as what he had done to Bruce. He needed to mentally prepare himself for what he was going to have to take in. He almost turned around, but that nagging feeling in his chest returned and once more he became desperate to feel anything other than this internal silence.

When Dick finally did find Bruce's room, he almost wished he hadn't.

There was a steady stream of blood flowing from the corner of Bruce's mouth, and he was missing a tooth that would have to be replaced. Dick could tell by his posture that the ribs on his left side were shattered, and there were definitely a few on his right that were bruised and fractured. There was some damage to his right arm as well. It would need pins to set it. His nose was broken too, and one eye was swollen shut.

This may very well have been the worst state Richard had ever seen Bruce in, and _he_ was the cause.

It was just like what had happened to Zucco. Anger had completely overwritten all his other senses. It was like there had been a mile of fog between his mind and what he had been doing. Now that fog had lifted, and he could see his actions for what they were.

Suddenly shame pieced through the wall that had been protecting him from feeling anything. And that shame crept into his heart like a poison and corrupted it. And that hole in his armor gave way even further and allowed him to feel. And he felt grief, and he felt guilt, and more than anything he felt fear. He felt afraid that he had doomed himself. That he had cost himself far more than his soul, but his _family_.

And it just like it had been when he first saw that blood stained locket. Not only were his emotions coming back to him, they came with a vengeance. That fear wound about his heart like a snake and it began to squeeze the life out of him.

Would Bruce be okay? Would he even _want_ Dick in the same room with him? Yes, he had told Alfred as much. But Bruce was probably on very strong pain meds. Yeah, that was it. Bruce wasn't in the right state of mind when he had said that. That was fine. Dick didn't think he could stand being there another sec-

"Dick." Bruce's voice broke through the fog of panic that had clouded his mind.

Dick nearly jumped out of his skin at the abrupt break in the silence of the cave. He turned back around despite his eagerness to leave and saw Bruce looking at him with...Dick didn't even want to say. He had resolved that he was hallucinating. Because Batman was most certainly _not_ looking at him with a pleading expression. There were very few instances where Bruce allowed some semblance of human emotion to set themselves unto his features, but one of begging simply was not possible.

But here it was, right in front of his eyes. Bruce wasn't just vulnerable, he looked _desperate_.

Not for the first time that night, Dick had no idea what to do.

It was only after Bruce groaned in a foolish yet successful attempt to sit up and look at his son that he gave Dick some direction. "Come here. Please."

Too shell-shocked to argue or ignore his request Dick simply went inside and took the seat next to Bruce's cot.

The first few minutes were utter agony. One would be able to cut the tension in the room with a knife. Not a word passed between them, and in the silence Dick could do nothing but wonder what Bruce thought about him. Zucco had been one thing. A mere tape could never come close to capturing what had happened in that maze. But Bruce had just witnessed him mere moments away from cutting down an unarmed woman, no matter how much she deserved it. More than that, he had hurt both Bruce and Tim. His hatred for the Judge overpowered him, and completely governed his senses. With that anger now gone, or at least significantly lessened, he now ore the full weight of what he had done. Once more his mind began to swarm with unwanted, anxious thoughts. What if Timmy never forgave him? What if Bruce didn't? What if-

"Dick?" Bruce asked, snatching his attention away from his pestering thoughts.

When Dick looked up, the detective skills that had been drilled into him since age eight picked up on something he hadn't even been looking for. His earlier belief that Bruce asked him here in a morphine haze was clearly incorrect.

Because Bruce wasn't on any pain meds whatsoever. He wasn't hooked up to any IVs at all. Besides the short period during which he had been incapacitated, Dick had to assume that Bruce had been conscious for most of the time that the doctors tended to his wounds.

It didn't come as a terrible surprise. Dick himself had received stitches in that very same cave numerous times without the benefit of anesthetic. But Bruce's condition was nowhere near that simplistic. Again Dick ran over the injuries he had inflicted unto his guardian as he looked the man up and down, estimating the amount of pain he would have been in. In the back of his mind, he could not help but wonder how in the world Alfred had stood for this. Sure Bruce had a high tolerance for pain, but he must have been in agony.

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked. Even in his current state, the billionaire could see the concerning look on his son's face.

He was disappointed to see Dick suddenly curl up into a defensive posture in his seat in response to his well-meaning question. "Nothing. I'm fine." Dick said, though that particular lie was getting far too familiar, even to the young acrobat's ears. "What about you? I'm surprised that Tompkins didn't put you on a morphine pump in your condition."

"She tried. I convinced her to wait until after I talked to you." Bruce said, hoping that his son would get the obvious meaning in that gesture. That he was willing to endure the pain because it was that important that he get the chance to speak to Dick.

However, Dick didn't seem to take it that way. He shook his head in obvious disapproval. "You're an idiot."

Bruce's heart sank. It was hard to believe that mere hours ago, this was the same young man that had been curled up tightly on his chest as he shamelessly sobbed into it. His own detective skills picked up on the fact that this was not a traditional relapse though. Dick hadn't once again become consumed by anger. He could see and hear it all in his features, his tone, and his stance. He could see that Dick wasn't allowing himself to feel anything at all. And as rich as it was to come from him, that simply wasn't healthy.

"Dick, please-"

"I'm not sorry." Dick suddenly snapped with no small hint of malice. "I wanted to go after the Judge and you got in the way. I'm not sorry that I tried to kill her. I'm not even sorry that I nearly killed you. So if you wanted me here because you were expecting some long-winded apology where I beg for your forgiveness then-"

"Actually," Bruce interrupted, his expression unreadable. "I asked you down here so that I could beg _you_ to forgive _me_."

Dick tore his gaze off of the random spot on the floor he had been staring at and fixed his now wide eyes on Bruce. It had become a bit of a habit since the Court. He would look somewhere, _anywhere_ but into the eyes of the person he was talking to. If he dared to make eye contact with someone he knew what he would find. Pitying stares. Recoils due to his yellow eyes. Sometimes he even saw visible fear.

But that wasn't the case now. In Bruce's grey orbs were filled with something else. Something he never dreamed possible for the Caped Crusader. _Longing._

A deeply seated wanting had taken root in Bruce's heart. And Dick knew exactly what it was that he wanted. He knew because he once had that same look.

It was a burning desire for absolution. For forgiveness. Dick wanted to be forgiven for what he did more than anything after he escaped the Court of Owls. In many ways, he still wanted it.

But in Bruce it was much fiercer. His need to be forgiven was eating away at him. He had seen it in their fight. Even as a Talon, Dick never should have been able to best Bruce so easily. He had seen something in the way he moved. Something that was throwing him off his game. And now Dick finally knew what it was. He knew what Bruce wanted to hear. He knew what it would mean for Bruce to hear the three simple words 'I forgive you'.

There was just one problem.

"There's nothing to forgive."

Bruce's reaction was a far cry from Alfred's when he had said the exact same thing to the butler. Where Alfred glared at him in annoyance for his ignorance in actually having the gall make such a foolish claim, Bruce looked scared out of his wits that Dick might actually believe it.

Dick sighed and laid back in his chair to elaborate, looking away from Bruce again and peering out through the clear barrier of the small room they were in. "I can't imagine what you must have thought of me after you saw that tape. I get it. The way you reacted..." Dick suddenly found himself at a loss for words. He honestly didn't know what to say. He couldn't really say that the way Bruce reacted to the tape was in any way right, no matter how much he was ashamed of the events that took place on it. He supposed it was understandable...it was just that...well...

"It was _wrong_." Bruce interjected. Dick looked at him again and was prepared to restart the argument when Bruce cut him off again. "It was. I've had a long time to think about what I did to you, and more than enough people telling me in excruciating detail what I did wrong. You were the victim of it, and I am so sorry that I lost sight of that. And I was so focused on what you had done, I failed to see what _it_ had done to _you_. I meant every word of what I said tonight. You're no monster. You're my son, even if I failed you as a father. I'm so sorry Dick. And not just for what happened the night I found out. I'm sorry for everything that came after. The Owls. Haly. All of it."

Now Dick was lost. Bruce was making it sound like _he_ had been the one who attacked those people. "The Owls and Haly? But I'm the one who-"

"That's all on me." Bruce assured quietly, hushing Dick. "The choices I made took all of your choices away, and I have failed you. And for that I am more sorry than you could ever know. You didn't do anything wrong. Not a thing. This is my burden to bare alone."

Dick sat down in awe, trying to sort through everything he had just heard. For two months straight he had wanted to hear those words. That his actions were justified. That Bruce understood why he did it. That Bruce still thought of him as a son. But now that the long awaited moment had come, Dick had no idea what to do. He was tempted to believe that this was all some manner of cruel trick on Bruce's part. He didn't dare allow himself to hope.

But a part of him had already begun to believe Bruce. Once again the barrier that protected him from feeling any emotion gave way, and allowed in something new. It allowed in hope. And it allowed that hope to lay down roots, and guide his next action.

"You mean you..." Dick tried his best to swallow the lump in his throat. "...you don't hate me?"

It was the only thing he could assume after so long. After the way Bruce had responded to finding out about Zucco and the others, and then his suggestion to lock him up with the Joker and his fellow psychopaths in Arkham, Dick was sure that Bruce must have hated him. A part of him still believed it as he and Bruce fought in the Judges home. That he hadn't been there to rescue his son, but to capture a criminal.

He didn't get a verbal response. Instead, Bruce defied medical science and lurched forward from the bed to wrap his arms around Dick, pulling the young man into a warm and tight embrace. Dick remained frozen in place as Bruce's form started to tremble. Something told Dick that it wasn't just the pain causing it.

"I could never hate you Dickie." Dick felt his arms go numb at his side and his mind go completely blank when Bruce spoke. It wasn't so much the context of what he said as what he heard when Bruce spoke. That hitch in his voice. The way he was shaking.

Bruce Wayne was crying.

Dick had only seen Bruce cry one other instance in his life, during Jason's funeral. At the time he had too caught up in his own grief to really care. Dick wasn't sure how he felt about being the cause of the second instance.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Despite having said it already numerous time that night, Bruce continued to mumble the phrase into Dick's shoulder like a mantra.

Eventually Dick snapped out of his initial shock and reflexively brought up his own arms to return the hug. "It's okay Bruce. You don't have to apologize."

As his son continued to try and soothe him, all Bruce could think about was how pathetic he was in this situation. He should be the one comforting Dick, not the other way around. He didn't deserve this act of kindness after all he had done. No one else in the world would have ever done this for someone who had treated them so horribly. The current exchange between father and son only served to remind that Dick Grayson was God's gift to the world.

After a while, Bruce pulled back from the hug and shifted his grip to Dick's shoulders, giving his son a leveled stare. "I could never hate you Dick. Tonight, I couldn't be more proud of you."

Every other sentence out of Bruce's mouth was causing Dick's head to spin. First he had stated that all he wanted was to beg for forgiveness, then he had insisted that Dick's actions were his own fault rather than his son's, topped it off by claiming that he could never hate Dick (which contradicted everything Dick had believed over the last two months), and now he was claimed he was _proud_?

Dick voiced the obvious question without thinking. "Proud of me? But...the Judge..." Dick still didn't regret his actions by any means, but was Bruce honestly saying that he was supportive of Dick's behavior earlier that night?

"You could have killed her." Batman interrupted. When he saw Dick's face contort into something akin to worry, he was quick to finish the sentiment. "You could have chosen revenge. You _could_ have. But you didn't. You did the one thing I've never been capable of. You chose to forgive."

"I _don't_ forgive her!" Dick bit out sharply the moment the statement left Bruce's lips. That woman would never have his forgiveness! She didn't deserve it! She didn't even want it. "I'll never forgive her!"

However, these thoughts triggered something in Dick's mind. The request Alfred had made of him earlier.

_"I am aware that it is a great deal to ask from you, given everything you've been through, but I must ask you to find it in your heart to forgive him."_

All these thoughts of forgiveness had brought it back to the front of his mind. He hadn't been sure what to make of Alfred's request before now. But as he recalled that statement, and looked at Bruce with the absolute _need_ to be forgiven still there...

...Dick did the only thing that he thought he could. Despite it all...despite all the pain and the heartache and the betrayals...

...Bruce was still his father.

"I don't forgive her." He repeated with conviction clear in his voice. "But I do forgive _you_."

He wasn't even sure if he meant it. It was hard to tell with that sense of numbness still weighing heavily in the center of his chest like a ball of steel. But that weight certainly felt lighter when he saw the smile Bruce gave him upon hearing his declaration. Dick could practically _feel_ the relief that was radiating off of Bruce.

It looked like Bruce was about to say something when a small knocking at the door pulled them away from the peaceful moment. Dick whipped around in his seat to he Doctor Tompkins standing in the doorway. She seemed relieved to find Dick behaving so civilly with Bruce.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I know the two of you still have a lot to talk about, but you've reached your ultimatum Bruce." Leslie said, earning her a questioning look from Dick. She was quick to elaborate. "The only reason his major injuries haven't been treated and he's not on the strongest painkillers we have is because he somehow convinced me that you two needed to talk first. I gave him a time limit for how long he could stay this way before I administered the drugs by force, and it just ran out."

"I'll be out of it for another day or two once she begins." Bruce added lightly. "That was why I wanted to talk to you so soon."

Dick nodded absentmindedly. Internally he was still trying to comprehend all that had just been said. It was so hard to believe that they had been in the Judge's mansion earlier that night. It already felt like a lifetime ago. And then there was everything he had just listened to regarding Bruce and...

...a part of Dick was suddenly relieved that the barrier that separated his consciousness from his emotions was still up. If he allowed himself to process everything that had taken place in that one night, he'd probably explode.

Dick had been lectured by Alfred and Leslie enough times to know the rule of 'no visitors in our sterile field'. He took Leslie's insistence on treating Bruce's worse injuries as his cue to leave and got up from his bedside chair before turning back to the bedridden vigilante. "We'll...um...we'll talk later." He said awkwardly as he began to shuffle out of the room.

"I love you." A voice called after him.

Not for the first time that night, Dick completely froze in place. He didn't think he could have moved if he tried. His mind was sent reeling, and his heart leapt into his throat.

Had he just imagined that? Had Bruce really just said...?

Dick turned around slowly and met Bruce's soft smile with his own shell shocked expression.

He could tell right away that it had been real. He hadn't made it up. This was real. He had _actually_ said it.

This wasn't news for Dick. He had known, or at least suspected, for a long time how Bruce felt about him. This should not have affected him as much as it was, and yet...

...just to _hear_ the words out loud. Have an actual, genuine expression of love from Bruce. It completely defied everything he knew about his mentor. Their affection for each other had always been an unspoken one. He never thought that he would actually hear the words aloud, and he had been okay with that. He certainly _thought_ he was anyway.

But now he had heard them.

It was real.

Bruce _loved_ him.

Dick turned back around quickly when he felt his eyes begin to get wet so Bruce and Leslie wouldn't see. Again he felt something pierce the barrier that was keeping him numb through all of it. Not only was that barrier pierced, it was shattered. Something told Dick that it wouldn't be reformed any time soon. And this time it was not shock, or guilt, or shame, or grief that had broken through.

It was unrestrained happiness.

Dick felt the corners of his lips shift upwards against his will as tears continued to soak his face. "I love you too." He whispered. He wasn't even sure if Bruce heard it, but Dick didn't really care at the moment.

With that said, Dick ran out of the room to run back upstairs before Bruce had a chance to respond. He wanted to leave quickly because he felt like he would start laughing or crying or more likely both. He hadn't felt this good in years.

Bruce loved him.

Bruce loved him.

_Bruce loved him._

Maybe it wasn't to late for them after all. Maybe there was hope for their dysfunctional little family yet. Maybe Bruce had been right all along.

Maybe Dick Grayson was still very much alive.

* * *

**Tim**

_Three days later_

Tim could say with absolute certainty that this was not how he expected Dick's return to go.

For one thing, he and Dick had barely spoken to each other since he got back. Neither of them were trying to avoid the other by any means, but Dick was practically chained to Bruce's bedside day in and day out. And Tim was _most definitely_ avoiding Bruce.

Tim had only gone into Bruce allotted room in the medical wing once or twice. Both times Bruce had been unconscious, and Dick had been sitting there watching over him like a guard dog. When Tim had invited himself into the room, things didn't go very well. It was pretty awful, not to mention awkward as hell, and Dick couldn't stop himself from looking at Tim's head wound every three minutes. The closest thing they had to a conversation was Dick apologizing for hurting him and Tim's insistence that it was alright. Other then that it had been complete silence.

The second thing that bothered him was that Tim had been forced to unofficially move back into the manor. Alfred had forbidden him from leaving the grounds until he was fully healed. This stipulation didn't bother him too much. He wanted to be there for Dick when he was ready to talk. What did bother him was that his assertion of independence over the last two months had just gone out the window. Bruce and Alfred would probably try to keep him here and pretend that he had never left.

Another thing that bothered him was that he was pretty sure that Dick hadn't left Bruce's bedside once in the last 48 hours. The ex-assassin hadn't even bothered to check in with his friends, if his constant messages from the Team were anything to go off of. Tim wasn't sure what to tell them because he himself had no idea what the hell was going on with Dick. It was like he was an entirely different person. He seemed...happier? Less than a week ago he had been prowling around Gotham and Bludhaven like a bloodthirsty animal, and now he was curled up at Bruce's side like an obedient pet.

And that was the thing that Tim couldn't stand. The other things he was flexible on, but this he would not stand for. He had seen it in the way that Dick looked at Bruce. The way he behaved. The very fact that he hadn't left the manor the moment someone wasn't looking.

Dick _forgave_ Bruce.

A part of him knew it was petty and self-centered. After all, it wasn't really any of his business. Dick forgave Bruce. Big deal. His brother was a better person than him then.

But that was the logical side of his brain talking. The part of him that was a selfish teenager was outraged. It demanded to know what the hell Bruce had done in order to trick the acrobat into forgiving him. Who did he think he was?! What even gave him the right to ask for Dick's forgiveness?! Nothing less than getting down on his knees would have been acceptable, and Tim doubted that was what Bruce had done.

Ultimately, Tim decided that he had no business in judging Dick for his choice.

Dick had forgiven Bruce.

But Tim didn't see that as likely for his own conflict with his mentor.

Tim was yanked from his thoughts by a pounding on the front door. It must have been hard for him to be able to hear it all the way in his bedroom. He was tempted to let Alfred get it or just let the person on the other side wear themselves out, but curiosity eventually got the better of him and the Boy Wonder reluctantly ascended from his bed to head downstairs.

The rate of knocking seemed to increase exponentially by the moment. By the time Tim reached the door, it sounded like a jackhammer. He opened it quickly to find a familiar freckled face on the other side.

"Wherethehellhaveyou-" Wally stopped himself when he saw that Tim was the one who had answered the door.

Wally was anxious and a bit angry. It was obvious even without Tim's detective skills. Understandable. Even if it had only been three days...

...well, just look at what happened the last time Dick went radio silent on them.

"Hi Wally." Tim said in an effort to break the ice.

"Tim." Wally said awkwardly as he made a move to enter the mansion. When Tim didn't object, he proceeded forward hastily. "Hey. Sorry about that. I thought you were..."

"I get it." Tim responded. He was honestly surprised Wally had waited this long. Speedsters were notoriously impatient, and the entire Team was no doubt anxious to know what the situation was. But how was Tim supposed to explain it to them when he couldn't even explain it to himself. Dick seemed fine enough, but he was so concerned with Bruce that he hadn't bothered talking to Tim except to apologize. It was hard to get a fix on his mental state from that one conversation.

Perhaps Wally being here was a good thing then. If anyone were able to get Dick to open up, the redhead would be that person. And since he couldn't describe the situation very well, Wally seeing it with his own eyes would be a good alternative.

"Where is he?" Wally suddenly asked. Tim didn't miss the nervous twitch to his voice, nor could he blame him. When Tim didn't respond though, Wally narrowed his eyes on the young detective. "Wait a minute. You're not gonna tell me that he's barricaded himself in his room again are you? Because if he has, I'll call Conner and he'll knock the damn door down."

Tim couldn't help but chuckle at the suggestion. "Not in his room. He's in Bruce's. He hasn't left his side since the day we got him back."

Wally's eyebrows practically shot up to his hairline. "For real?"

"Yeah. I don't understand it either." Tim said as he began to walk towards the grandfather clock that stood a few feet away from them. He slowly slid the clock to the side and opened up the entrance to the cave below. He turned back to Wally, who was currently giving him a questioning look. "Coming?"

"What are you-"

"Like I said," Tim interrupted. "Dick hasn't left Bruce's side once since we got back. He's probably still down there. You don't have to worry about Bruce either. He hasn't woken up yet."

Tim thought he might have imagined it, but he could have sworn he saw something akin to disappointment flash across Wally's face when he told him Bruce was still comatose. Had Wally actually _wanted_ to talk to Bruce? What could those two possibly have to discuss?

Before Tim could press him on the matter, Wally started walking past him and made his way into the cave. Tim followed after him and they descended the stairs slowly. As was usually the case, Wally chose to break the peaceful silence as the continued their walk towards the medical bay. "How...how is he?" He sounded like he was afraid of the answer.

Tim was glad he was able to give an honest answer. "He's okay. Actually it's the best I've seen him since this whole thing started. He seems...happy."

Wally gave him a surprised look again, to which nodded in confirmation. "It's true. We haven't really talked much, but I caught him smiling a few times when he was watching over Bruce." Tim could understand the confusion though.

Tim had been unconscious for the entirety of the night that Dick came back to the manor. By the he woke up, Dick's personality had already made it's one-eighty turn. Considering it was Bruce's side he clung to rather than Alfred's, Tim had to assume that Bruce had said something to him that caused the sudden change. According to the Team, Bruce had been the one who convinced him not to kill the Judge, but that still didn't explain how Dick had miraculously forgiven him.

Tim allowed himself to ponder the many possibilities of what could have been said until they reached their destination. But what they found there surprised them both. Tim had expected a far more familiar sight. The same one he had walked in on the last two days in a row. Dick would be sitting down next to a heavily medicated Bruce, watching him like a hawk for the slightest change that might indicate he woke up.

But this scene was very different. It sent Tim's mind reeling.

Dick wasn't there. The only person present besides himself and Wally was a bedridden, but still very conscious Bruce Wayne.

Bruce was awake.

Awake...and staring right at him.

"...Tim..." Bruce said with a weakness Tim had never thought possible for such a strong man. His mentor reached out a hand towards him, as though saying 'You're here. I've missed you'.

Tim still hated Bruce. He did. He wasn't even going to look Bruce in the eye once he woke up. He had planned on leaving the manor the moment he heard the man was awake.

But...he just couldn't summon his anger at the moment.

Seeing Bruce in such a state caused Tim's heart to wrench. He wanted to act on impulse. He wanted to throw caution to the wind. He wanted his immediate response to be to leap unto Bruce's broken form in tears, shamelessly crying and saying that he forgave him and he loved him. It was exactly what Dick would have done.

But he wasn't Dick.

He was Tim Drake.

And he couldn't do this.

Not here.

Not now.

He turned around without a word, eliciting another pained cry from his father figure. "Tim!"

"I can't do this right now Bruce." Tim responded, still facing away from his guardian. "I'm not leaving the manor. And we will talk. But...I just can't right now."

Wally stood there like a statue as Tim walked away. He knew it wasn't his place to intervene. And he may have been best friends with one of them, but Wally would never fully understand the inner workings of the Bat-family.

Tim marched upstairs with his emotions still swirling. He had to imagine Dick felt something like this when he spoke to Bruce that night. He was truly at a loss. He didn't know whether to forgive Bruce or allow his resentment to grow. He didn't know if he was going to stay in the manor or move out the next day.

He only knew that he wasn't going to do it now.

Not today.

* * *

**Wally**

The speedster stood in silence as the youngest Bat exited the cave. Some part of him supposed it was for the best. The conflict between himself and Bruce was a private one.

Wally turned his head to look back at Bruce. Nearly every inch of his body was covered in a cast, bandage, or bruise. Wally actually winced when he raised his eyes to meet Bruce's, only to find a heavy discoloring on one of them. He and the Team had watched Dick smack him around in the Judge's mansion, but hadn't been able to witness whatever occurred inside her hidden room behind the bookshelf. The only thing Wally had to go off of to predict the events inside was the loud declaration of 'I HATE YOU' from Dick, and Bruce's broken form which stumbled out of the room not long after his son.

Some part of Wally had actually felt for Bruce when the older man poured his heart out in front of the Team. The Batman he had grown up knowing never would have allowed anyone to see him so vulnerable. He could finally see something that had been woefully lacking before then. Bruce really did love his son, no matter how much he might screw up.

But that didn't null their agreement.

"Well, you look like hell." Wally never would have been able to summon the courage to say something like that to Batman before this. But that was the fun part of occupying the moral high ground.

"So I've been told." Bruce responded. How was it possible to pull off his signature scowl on a face that was that badly damaged?

"When did you wake up?" Wally asked. Tim had already told him that Bruce was still out cold. Since he just bore witness to the boy's reaction and could clearly see that it was just as much a shock to him, Wally knew that this must have been a recent development.

"Last night." He said, keeping his answers brief.

After a moment or two had passed and Wally was satisfied that Bruce wasn't going to bother asking how he got in or why he was here, he proceeded.

"I've got a bone to pick with you." Wally said with something akin to frustration in his voice. "Dick is still in the manor. Why?"

The stoic mask slipped and gave way to a look of genuine confusion. "I don't understand."

Wally scoffed and crossed his arms as he glared down at Bruce. "How hard did he hit you? Did you already manage to forget already that you and I had an agreement?"

Understanding dawned on Bruce's features as he began to fully grasp what Wally was doing here. It was true. He had never quite meant to void their agreement about Wally taking Dick out of his care. But now there was one problem.

"I think that may be out of our hands now." Bruce explained quietly.

Wally gave him an incredulous look. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"When you and I made that agreement, you made what you wanted very clear and concise, and I agreed to your terms. There's only one problem with that. Neither of us thought about what Dick might want."

Wally made a move to speak, but found that he couldn't. Wally supposed that what Bruce said was true. He hadn't meant it as a way of taking the decision out of Dick's hands by any means. He just didn't want to see his friend get hurt, and wanted to make sure he could be with him for every step of the recovery.

But by the sounds of it, Dick had other plans. "Are you telling me that he told you, in no uncertain terms, that he wanted to keep living here?" Wally wanted to make sure that this wasn't some type of grand manipulation on Bruce's part. If Wally found out that he was twisting Dick's words to mislead him, there would be hell to pay.

Bruce nodded, and Wally caught the slightest of winces from the sudden movement. "Last night, after I woke up. After Alfred was satisfied that I was still stable, Dick came in. I should tell you that I fully meant to honor our agreement. But the moment I brought up living arrangements, Dick started in about how he wanted to stay in the manor for a while before he could even think of moving back to Bludhaven. I didn't tell him about our deal. I only asked him if he'd consider staying with you for the time being. He told me that he still had a lot to work out, and he wanted to stay _home_ for the duration."

Home? Dick still thought of this place as his home? It baffled Wally to no end how that was even possible. Even Tim was only here on an as-needed basis. "Why in the world would he-"

"Because he forgave me." Bruce interrupted.

It took Wally a moment to fully appreciate the sentiment of what Bruce just said to him. Once it sunk in, he was tempted to call the man out as a liar. Was that even possible? Could such such a betrayal as the kind Bruce inflicted ever be forgiven?

Once Bruce caught Wally's expression and understood the disbelief he found there, he elaborated. "I won't deny that I'm relieved beyond words that he has. I didn't ask for it, and we both know I don't deserve it. But still, he forgave me."

Wally thought he knew his best friend. They had shared all their secrets with each other. They had been best pals. Brothers even. Wally could have sworn he knew the original Robin even better than Batman. But with something like this laid at his feet...

...perhaps Wally would never truly understand the inner working of Richard Grayson's mind.

Wally sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn't deny that he felt frustrated with Dick's decision, and he knew for a fact that it was only a matter of time before Bruce hurt him again.

But he also couldn't deny that he was impressed by Dick's ability to forgive and forget. That was who he was. It's who he always had been. He never clung to the past, and he never allowed conflicts with his friends to last. As soon as it looked like a bridge between people was burning, Dick was always there to mend it.

Wally sighed through his nose, keeping his eyes closed in a pinched look. "You could live a thousand lifetimes and put criminals away in each and every one, and you still wouldn't come close to deserving that kid."

"I'm well aware of that." Bruce said genuinely. He had often questioned what he had done to deserve any of his sons, especially when he had been adamant in his earlier career that he would work alone. Perhaps they were the universe's way of filling the void left by his parents, for Bruce always knew that they had more of an impact on him than he ever had on them.

"So long as you know it, I can live with that." Wally said as he looked back up to Bruce with a tired gaze. "Make no mistake, I'm still going to do my best to convince him to leave. But if he really wants to stay here with you, that's his decision."

Bruce looked at him as though something had just occurred to him. "And...the rest of our deal?"

Wally raised a ginger brow. He knew full well that Bruce was referring to the stipulation that he not take in another protege, but had no idea why he would bring it up. "Don't tell me that another boy genius managed to figure out your identity and sneak into the cave?"

Bruce chuckled, and immediately regretted it as pain flared through his chest. He still managed to shake his head and answer Wally. "There's a teenage vigilante that appeared around the time Tim left. She calls herself Spoiler. (1) She's been lucky so far, but she's going to get herself killed without proper training."

Wally nodded slowly as Bruce explained. Even though he hadn't directly stated it, it was obvious that he meant he wanted to be the one to offer her that training. Bruce's argument was sound enough. If Wally was being honest with himself, he only said that thing about Bruce destroying childhoods to hurt him. If Bruce hadn't taken Dick in, he would have been a Talon long before this. The ginger was loath to admit it, but Batman had helped all his proteges, and he may be able to do the same for this Spoiler girl.

"You know what," Wally said after a while, hands raised in defeat. "If you're able to find more kids that are willing to put up with you, that's fine by me. Dick would want you to help this girl anyway." Upon mentioning his friend, Wally was reminded of his entire reason for coming to the mansion. "Why isn't he with you anyway? Tim told me you two have been attached at the hip."

Something close to guilt passed over Bruce's face and he looked away from the speedster. Wally felt dread grow in his gut, wondering how Bruce had screwed up this time.

"I wanted to go with him, but Leslie and Alfred have been unmovable on the subject." Bruce said as he made a nudge with his arms to show off the restraints that kept his arms strapped to the bedside. Wally hadn't noticed them before. "I begged him not to go alone, especially after all that's happened. Alfred drove him, but he insisted on going to the grounds alone. You have to go to him. Now. He needs you there."

"Woah woah woah." Wally said as he put his arms up to halt Bruce's speech. "What are you talking about? Where is he going?"

This time it was Bruce who gave Wally an incredulous look. Like the answer should be obvious. "Don't you know what day it is?"

"Friday?" Wally responded with a raised brow. He knew that wasn't the answer Bruce was looking for, but it was the first one that came to mind.

Bruce made a motion in his bed that told Wally if the older man hadn't been restrained, he would get up and knock him upside the head for his foolishness. "Check the date."

Wally was still confused but hesitantly pulled out his phone to comply. It took about half a second for him to get his answer. "April 1st." He said without thinking. But as soon as the words were said allowed, Wally felt horror dawn on him. Bile rose in his stomach, and a familiar image flashed in front of his eyes.

The flashback was of him and Dick, back when he was still Robin. It had been a bit less than a year since the Team was formed. The two of them were kneeling on the grass in the dead of night, Dick sobbing shamelessly into his chest, a row of gravestones standing still before them.

Wally looked back up at Bruce and they shared a look of urgency. The speedster nodded quickly, hoping Bruce would understand what he meant to do, before running out of the cave and out of the manor at break neck speeds.

Why? Why did this day have to come up now?! With everything else that was going on, couldn't Dick catch a break just once?!

His mind flooded with possibilities as he raced down the streets of Gotham, appearing as no more than a blur to those who saw him. Tim had told the Team about Dick's earlier attempt to kill himself. Being a Talon would obviously make that task much more difficult to achieve, but if anyone were ever simultaneously smart and dumb enough to find a way to cut off their own head, it would be Dick Grayson.

More horrifying though was that this would technically be his _third_ attempt. The time after his return from the Court was in fact his second.

It happened one night after a particularly awful encounter with Scarecrow. He had punched Robin in the gut, and when the young boy had attempted to gasp for air he ended up getting his lungs filled with fear toxin. Robin had managed to run away while Batman subdued Scarecrow, and the League quickly scattered to find their lost bird. Wally could still remember the way the adrenaline shot through his system when he finally found the boy on a bridge near Gotham harbor, staring longingly into the waters below. He had knocked into Dick so quickly he had nearly pushed them both off the bridge. He spent the next few minutes waiting for Batman to show up with the antidote while Robin struggled in his grip, though Wally refused to let go. It remained the most terrifying moment of his life, listening to Robin as he screamed and screamed that he just wanted to be with his family.

After that Robin received mandatory counseling from Black Canary and wouldn't return to his role as Boy Wonder until Bruce was satisfied that he was stable. Even though the League knew logically that such a thing never would have happened without the fear toxin's prompting, they wanted to be safe rather than sorry when it came to their youngest hero's safety. Unbenounced to the League, Kid Flash had immediately dived into his psychology textbook to find out everything he could about suicide attempts. What to look for. How to prevent it. He was determined to make sure something like it had never happened again.

Wally had mentally berated himself once Tim told them about Dick's second attempt. He had been withdrawn, depressed, and no doubt suffering from PTSD. There might as well have been a neon sign.

And that only compounded the terror building in Wally's chest as he willed himself to go faster, running at speeds that Barry and Bart had never even dreamed of. Dick had withdrawn himself from the Team again. They hadn't heard from him in three days. And while it was possible that his forgiving of Bruce's conduct was simply a blessing that the billionaire didn't deserve, it may also have been Dick's attempt at making preparations. Wally's heart hammered like a war drum as he raced as fast as he possibly could towards Gotham Cemetery.

When he finally arrived, relief did not begin to describe the way Wally felt when he found a lone figure kneeling in front of the Grayson's graves. He panted relentlessly as he put his hands to his knees to balance himself, willing his racing heart to go back down to a normal pace. Once his breathing and heart rate were back under control, Wally was able to look up and further capture the scene before him.

Dick was wearing a black jacket with the hood pulled up. Most likely a precaution to keep someone from seeing the more unusual aspects of his appearance. He appeared to be in a comfortable position on his knees, almost like a form for meditation. It was unsettling how still he was. Not that he wished it, but Wally had been expected him to be shaking with tears at the very least. That was how he found him that night from his flashback.

 _"So much has changed since then."_ Wally thought sadly. He cautiously crept towards the figure in black, not wanting to startle him by announcing his presence. The sun was casting Wally's shadow towards the gravestones, so Dick must have noticed at some point that he was no longer by himself, even though he made no gesture of acknowledgement. Soon Wally was standing next to where Dick knelt, before promptly plopping down and positioning himself in a similar kneeling position.

Wally craned his neck enough to make out Dick's face beneath the hood. He was also wearing sunglasses, no doubt to cover up his yellow eyes. Wally had been right in his earlier assessment. His face was completely dry. He hadn't shed a tear. For some reason that concerned Wally far more than if he had found the boy in a crying bundle on the grass. His expression was neutral from what Wally could tell. It was hard to make out due to the glasses. Wally quickly turned in every direction to make sure no one else was around before he slowly reached towards Dick's face to remove them. Dick didn't move a muscle as he did so. Not even to acknowledge Wally's presence.

When Wally had pulled the glasses off, he could see yellow eyes downcast as they stared ahead at the grave directly before them. Wally felt a pang in his heart at the sight. Before he could stop himself he wrapped his arms around Dick in a hug the younger man didn't return. Dick was cold now, adding to the ever growing list of things that would never be the same.

After not getting any manner of response, Wally repositioned himself so that he still had his arm slung around Dick's shoulder, but could still look in front of them to see the graves.

The one directly before them was that of Mary Grayson. Dick had always made her out to be the most wonderful woman on Earth. To have a son like Dick, Wally had no doubt in his mind that it was true. She had been an acrobat all her own long before she met and eventually married into the Graysons. Wally knew what a terrible loss hers had been to Dick. While Bruce had stepped in and provided the role for father to a lesser degree, the hole left by his mother was one that had never and would never be filled.

Next to hers was John Grayson's. Dick's father. Oddly enough he had been made out to be the polar opposite of Bruce in the parenting sense. He had constantly dulled out affection without prompting, and had been the most free spirit in the world. Always ready to leave for the circus' next stop at a moments' notice, never laying down roots in any one location, eager to see what adventures came next. So much like what Dick in his Robin days. Mary Grayson may have given Robin his name, but it was John Grayson that had provided the _soul_ of the Boy Wonder.

Wally turned to see the graves next to theirs. Immediately next to John Grayson's was Richard and Karla Grayson. Richard's, Dick's uncle's grave was not quite as old as the rest. He had been paralyzed by the event that orphaned Dick, and had died only two years ago. That wound was particularly fresh. Next to him, his wife Karla. According to Dick, they had been more like a second set of parents than an aunt and uncle. Wally understood that sentiment better than most, being especially close to his Aunt Iris and Uncle Barry. Wally couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose either of them. He would never completely understand how Dick was able to survive that tragedy. Wally was only glad that he did.

The final grave in the set was Dick's cousin, who was also named John. There was a small gap set next to the graves of John and Mary Grayson that separated them from Karla and Richard. That same gap existed between those two spouses and their child. Wally understood the system logically. It was meant to signify the union between husband and wife. But leaving John at the end of the row with that spacing just made it seem so...lonely. In the same sense that Karla and Richard had been like a second mother and father, John had been like Dick's older brother. He teased him about his small stature and ruffled his hair and rough housed with him. Dick never admitted it, but Wally knew that John's loss had been by far the worst. In his case Dick hadn't just lost a brother and cousin. He had lost a friend.

There was a beautiful bouquet of neatly arranged flowers in front of each grave for a total of five. But as Wally let his eyes wonder, he noticed that Dick was carrying a sixth bouquet in his hands. He knew better than to ask about it though. Dick needed a moment of silence to grieve in peace.

It took quite some time. Wally wasn't even sure how long. But eventually, the last Flying Grayson spoke. "Do you think..." He began hesitantly with his voice shaky. Dick swallowed and tried again. "Do you think they knew about me? About the Court? About what I would become?"

Wally tore his eyes off of the funeral taking place in the distance and looked at Dick in utter shock. "Of course not!" He said, much louder than he had intended. "Why would you say that?"

Dick looked at the gravestone in conflict, his hands gripping the bouquet a tad harder. "Back in the Court...Cobb kept saying...that it was my legacy. That he was a Talon, just like _his_ grandfather...just like _I_ would be." Dick explained with a shudder. "And Haly...he knew about it too. He was the one who arranged for the Court to come and get me before my family...before they..." Dick's voice began to crack and closed his eyes, bowing his head. "Did I ever even have a chance? Was I always going to be a monster?"

"Don't fucking say that!" Wally said, not caring that he was screaming anymore. Admittedly he could have reacted better, but he couldn't stand by and allow Dick to call himself that. It hurt too much.

Wally quickly wrapped his arms back around his oldest friend and gave him a tight squeeze. "You're not a monster." He said in a much softer tone. "And your family didn't know anything about the Court. I'm sure of it. They loved you."

"I thought Haly loved me too." Dick quivered as he leaned into the embrace. "But he-"

"He was _never_ your family." Wally said assuredly. If ever there had been a time Dick needed comfort and affection, this was it. "You're not a monster. Your family weren't monsters. Your the bravest and strongest hero I know. The Owls are monsters. Not you."

That's when it finally came out. It was just a whimper at first, but soon it transformed into sobbing. Dick returned the hug in full force, gripping unto Wally as though if he let go he would sink into the graves below. The remaining bouquet of flowers that he had been holding lay forgotten on the ground. When Wally felt the front of his shirt begin to get wet, he cared not one iota.

Wally would never comprehend what an impact his words had on the ex-assassin. For far too long, he had allowed himself to believe Cobb's words. He believed that he was destined to become a Talon, and that there was no escaping his fate. Believed that he would become the tool of destruction the Court wanted him to be, whether he wanted to or not.

Believe that if there was one thing being a Talon taught him, it was that he was no hero.

_"Your the bravest and strongest hero I know."_

Wally's words echoed in his mind and comforted him.

For far too long, he had allowed himself to believe Cobb's words.

But now he allowed himself to believe his best friend's.

They stayed like that until Dick used up all the tears he had left. He gave some more dry sobs before he finally mastered control of his breathing again. His head was killing him by the time he was done, though his healing would do away with that discomfort any minute now. When he pulled his head off of his best friends shoulder, he could feel the damp spot that he had left behind on the fabric of the redhead's shirt.

"Sorry." Dick muttered as he scrubbed the tears from his face with one hand as the other went down to retrieve the spray of flowers he had nearly forgotten.

Wally gave him a soft, understanding smile. "Don't worry about it." He reassured. He gathered the younger man in his arms and helped get him to his feet, stabilizing him to make sure he wouldn't fall over. There had been a time, not so long ago, when this was the only time that Dick ever needed comfort. 364 Days out of the year Dick Grayson was the most cheerful person on Earth. The one that others could lean on in times of need. But on that last day he would allow himself to break down under the weight of everything he had endured.

Making sure Dick was okay on this day of all days was very important to Wally after what happened last time. The last time this date rolled around it had come just after the destruction of the cave and subsequent rescue of the Team from the Reach ship. Wally had unloaded on Nightwing the day the cave was destroyed, and they hadn't spoken since. Wally was just so angry with the risks Dick had been willing to take for the sake of the mission, and refused to let up on his oldest friend.

One week later, Wally had been in his first class of the day when his professor asked them to take out their notes. Wally had long since given into his habit of writing the date at the top of every page in his book so he could keep track of his notes. It was almost comical how similar that situation had been to the one he just had with Bruce. Wally took out his phone to check the date, and his heart stopped when he realized what day it was.

He had excused himself from class to go to the restroom, and promptly ran like a madman to Gotham. No matter how angry he was with his friend's choices, Dick should never have had to face that day alone. Especially with Bruce off world.

But it was too late. By the time he reached the cemetery, there was no one there. Not a soul. Only another row of elegantly laid flowers. Wally had run to Wayne Manor next, knowing it to be the next logical location. Alfred had answered the door, telling him that Robin and Nightwing had already left in an effort to find a new base of operations for the Team. Wally had gone back to his college feeling downtrodden by Alfred's clear disapproval of his forgetting such an important day. Wally simply decided that he would find another time to make things right with Dick.

Little did he know, that day wouldn't come for another full year.

Somehow, it felt so much longer than that though.

The invasion itself had ended back in June. After the invasion had ended, Dick spent a bit less than a month in Bludhaven after leaving the Team, during which only members of the Batfamily would talk to him. After that, he spent five and a half agonizing months with the Court of Owls, being twisted and manipulated into their Talon. Then he spent another two months recovering in the manor, which was brought to an abrupt halt when they found out his secret. Then another two months back in Bludhaven tracking down the Owls.

Dick had gone through so much in the span of one year. More than most people had to go through in a lifetime. Wally had meant what he said. Dick was incredible strong to have gone through it all. And even though his journey was less than ideal, and he had made numerous mistakes, he had come out the other side of it.

"Do you think..." Dick began again, his voice hoarse from crying. "...that they would still love me...if they could see what I was now? After everything I've done?"

Wally gave Dick a firm nod. Even though Dick was still looking at the headstones, he knew the boy could see Wally in the corner of his eye. "Of course they would. And I think they _can_ see you now." The one good thing that came out of his short lived roll of Doctor Fate's host was meeting Kent Nelson, and knowing that the afterlife was very much a real place. And there wasn't a shred of doubt in Wally's being that the Flying Graysons were truly soaring through the skies right now, looking down on their youngest member with pride.

Now that an appropriate amount of time had passed, Wally's curiosity got the better of him and he pointed at the collection of flowers in Dick's hand. "Why the extra set?"

Dick looked down at the grouping in his palm and gave a small smile before turning to Wally. "Actually, I have one last person to visit while we're here. Will you come with me?"

"Of course." Wally answered, leaving the 'like you even needed to ask' unspoken.

Dick cast a sad look on the five graves a final time before walking away with a clear destination set in mind. Wally followed but could not deny his curiosity as to whom they were visiting. Dick had never been to a sixth grave the other times they had come together. Jason was buried in the Wayne's private grave site, so no one immediately came to mind.

It hadn't been a very far walk. Wally's only notice that they had arrived was a sudden stop in Dick's motion and his best friend kneeling down to place flowers in front of a lone grave before standing back up. Wally looked down at the name edged into the stone and bowed his head in a mixture of reverence and sadness.

Raymond McCreary. He knew the name for two reasons.

The first was stories Dick had told him of his best friends growing up; Raya Vestri and Raymond McCreary. The three of them had perfected a group performance that left crowds speechless. As Dick liked to put it, Raymond had been his childhood version of Wally. According to what he initially heard, Raymond died only a few days after the Graysons, adding to Dick's grief. The funeral Dick had attended took place in this very same spot. But as it turned out, Raymond wasn't even buried here. They hadn't known it at the time, but Raymond had been subjected to a much worse fate.

Wally found out the truth years later, just after Dick had left the manor to pursue the Owls. Wally had helped Tim go over all the files the Court kept on their Talons for some indication of where Dick might be hiding out. Wally could still remember the way Tim froze up when he found a file with that same name on it. Raymond McCreary.

As it turned out, Raymond had unofficially replaced Dick. After the young acrobat was taken in by Bruce and no longer within the Court's reach, they had chosen Raymond as their new Talon. His story was a tragic one. He had been subjected to all the ruthless torture and training as the other Talons got upon their arrival to the Court, but in the end the Owls realized that no matter how much work they put into him, he would never be as talented as Dick. They cast him out and left him in the woods to die. Tim had found a corresponding John Doe that had turned up in the woods. He was now buried in a simple numbered grave somewhere in New York.

Dick didn't need to say it out loud. Wally knew that he blamed himself for Raymond as well. It was clear in the way he was looking at the headstone. Wally's heart lurched as he gently put a hand on Dick's shoulder, feeling the smallest of flinches run through the acrobat's body as he did so. "Come on. Let's get you home." Wally said as he used his hold on the shoulder to turn Dick around, then gently usher him towards the entrance of the cemetery.

Luckily it hadn't been too bad a walk. Alfred had been waiting right outside the gates, standing next to the car. He didn't seem surprised to see Wally escort Dick out, nor did he comment on it. He only opened the backseat door and shut it after Wally loaded his friend inside and took the seat next to him. Alfred then got in the driver seat and the drove back to the manor in silence.

Wally kept his eyes on Dick, paranoia telling him that Dick would somehow slip out of the car the moment he took his eyes off the young Talon. Dick remained still the entire time and had his head positioned to look out the window, but he wasn't really looking at the scenery. Alfred kept looking at the two boys in the rear view mirror, but still wouldn't speak.

When they finally got to the manor, Alfred again wordlessly opened the car and then front door for them as Wally continued to help lead Dick inside. Once they were indoors, Dick shrugged off Wally's grip and made his way to his room, but didn't object to the speedster's following him.

Once they were in his bedroom, Dick immediately set himself down on his bed, Wally doing the same next to him. Once they were in their respective positions, Wally reached up to grip Dick's shoulder again. "You okay?"

He had expected silence, or perhaps another detached response. But to his shock and amazement, Dick instead reached a hand up and took Wally's into his own before turning and smiling at the speedster. And his smile was true. Not at all like the hollow, fake grins he had been trying to pass by his friends since his return. "I'll be okay. Thank you so much for coming Wally."

The redhead may have been stunned, but not so much so that he couldn't speak. "Of course. That's what a best pal's for."

Upon hearing his words though, the smile began to fade. Wally's mind began to scramble in an effort to figure out what he had done wrong before Dick spoke. "We're still best friends?" He asked with genuine confusion.

Wally quickly assured him as he gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Of course we are. Why wouldn't we be?"

Dick turned away from him in what Wally knew must be shame. "I just thought that...after Artemis..."

Dick couldn't bring himself to finish. He felt like he had been doing everything wrong recently. First sending the blonde archer undercover during the invasion, and then nearly choking her out less than a week ago. He truly never meant to hurt her. Artemis was his friend just as much as Wally. But after all his mistakes, he didn't think Wally would ever want to speak to him again, let alone show up for the anniversary.

The ebony haired youth had expected his friend to start laying into him as soon as he brought up what he had done to the said friend's girlfriend, just as he had after the cave was destroyed. Imagine his surprise when a mischievous grin found its' way onto Wally's lips instead. "No worries man. The two of us actually worked it out."

Dick raised a brow. "What do you mean you worked it out?"

Wally's green eyes seemed to twinkle in amusement. "At some random time, you won't know when, she's gonna punch you. And you'll never know until it hits you." He teased, causing Dick to feel a blush rise on his pale cheeks. "Could be tomorrow. Could be a year from now. She only said that she's gonna give it to you when you least expect it. She also said, and I quote, 'I'm gonna aim for his pretty boy face when I do'."

Wally had been giggling madly the whole time. Now, after the full explanation had been aired, Wally dissolved into more laughter and fell back onto the bed, rolling from side to side.

Dick was completely caught off guard by the joviality in Wally. He had honestly thought their friendship was done for after everything he did. But even after all his mistakes, Wally was acting as though nothing had changed between them at all. And the strangest thing at all was that he didn't even have room to feel relief.

Because he was too overcome with joy.

Not long after Wally, Dick began to burst with a familiar cackle that hadn't been heard in years. It caused Wally's heart to warm as he fully took in his friends smile. Tim had been right. It was like Dick was his old self again. And suddenly, the smallest part of Wally forgave Bruce as well. He had no idea what transpired between father and son after he left the two alone. He just knew that he was grateful beyond words to Bruce for giving him his friend back.

"Oh God please no." Dick said grinning, only half joking. "I'll take a punch from Superboy before I'll take one from Artemis. Or you, since you hit like a girl. Please, have mercy." Dick said in mock drama as he folded his hands together in a begging posture.

Wally's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "I actually was going to tell her to take it easy on you before. Now I think I'll tell her about that 'hit like a girl' comment." Wally let out another laugh, throwing his head back. "She's gonna knock you into next year man!"

The two of them continued to laugh at their banter for a good amount of time. Eventually Dick was the first to get his laughter under control and he wiped up the tears of joy that had leaked from his eyes. He then stood up from his bed while Wally struggled and failed to stop laughing himself. "I'm going to check on Bruce. Do you want to come?"

That one statement caused Wally to sober up immediately. His laughter came to a sudden, grinding halt. He had nearly forgotten. He may have been grateful to Bruce for helping Dick, but that didn't negate his responsibility for being the one who broke him in the first place. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something..." Wally said coyly as he too stood up.

Dick raised a brow. "Sure Walls," He said as he leaned against the door. "What's up?"

"Well, I was just hoping that you would come to live with me for a while." He blurted out, earning a confused look from Dick, who knew full well that the apartment he shared with Artemis only had one bedroom. "Nonono, I mean like, at Barry's place. We've moved in for a while to help take care of the twins. It'll be great. My parents haven't seen you in forever, plus the twinsaregoingtoloveyouandBarrywouldn'tmind-"

"Whoa." Dick said easily, putting his hands up to gesture for Wally to slow down. Despite their years of friendship he still had trouble understanding Wally when he speed talked. Dick gave him an easy smile as he recalled all the times he had to do this when they were kids. "That's a really nice offer Wally, but I need to stay here while Bruce is recovering."

Dick didn't miss the way the ginger's eyes narrowed at the use of the Dark Knight's true name. "Come on Dick. I'm sure he'll be okay. He'll have Alfred with him. And we haven't hung out with each other in forever."

Dick gave Wally a questioning look. He supposed that his best friend sometimes forgot that he was a detective. He had seen the way the speedster tensed up upon his use of Bruce's name. And then there was the way he began to speed-talk towards the end of his offer, which meant he was anxious. He was fairly certain that his theory was correct, but had to ask Wally something like this directly. "Wally, do you not want me to see Bruce?"

Again, Dick didn't need the verbal confirmation. Wally's body language said it all. Still, he waited for Wally to respond appropriately before addressing him on the matter. "No. No I don't."

" _Why?_ " Dick asked.

Wally couldn't decide if Dick was just too innocent or too ignorant to understand. He thought it should go without saying. Bruce had hurt him. Nearly sent him beyond the point of no return. Did such a question even warrant a proper response?

Whether it did or not, Wally still gave him one. "Do you really need to ask? What Bruce did to you..." Wally paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. "...I just don't trust him with you. None of us do."

" _Us?_ " Dick repeated, growing more concerned. "Who is _'us'_?"

"Pretty much the entire Team, your own brother included." Wally explained. He caught a look on Dick's face that was something akin to betrayal though.

"That's why Tim's been acting so weird around Bruce..." Dick mumbled and trailed off. He had a thoughtful expression, like he wasn't sure how he should go about articulating the situation to Wally. That look of thought eventually melted away and was replaced with one of shock, as though something had occurred to him. "Bruce wanted me to stay with you too. Wally, did something happen between you two? Something I should know about?"

Wally looked away and rubbed the back of his neck, knowing that Dick would take his actions against Bruce the wrong way no matter how he phrased it. "Well...in exchange for for helping him I may have made him swear that he would give up custody of you..."

"Wally!" Dick yelled in exasperation, betrayal clear in his eyes.

"It's not like it sounds." Wally defended, putting his hands up. "I wasn't doing it to hurt you, I swear. I was just trying to help."

"By trying to get Bruce to force me out of my own home?" Dick scoffed.

"It's not like I was trying to have him kick you out on the streets. I wanted you to come live with either me or Roy when all of this was settled. I just didn't want you two in the same house anymore. Not after what he did to you. He doesn't deserve your forgiveness after what he did."

Dick shot him a look of annoyance. "That's for me to decide. Not you."

"Well, would you at least explain it to me?" Wally pleaded. "I mean, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure this out since Bruce told me you forgave him. I don't think I would be able to forgive Barry if he did something like that to me, and we're _family_."

Wally quickly realized that he made a mistake with his last few words after he caught Dick's shocked visage. He hadn't meant to undermine Dick's relationship with Bruce. He knew that even without an official adoption, he considered the man his father. He knew that to Dick's ears, it must have sounded like he was saying that he and Barry were family, whereas Dick and Bruce were not. And he knew that his words must have hurt his friend no matter how good the intent.

A stillness had just begun to set in between them before Dick answered his question, despite his earlier remark clearly having a hurtful effect. "Look, what Bruce did...it wasn't okay. I'm not saying it was. But I understand it. It's the whole reason that I never wanted any of you to know about what happened in the first place. But one mistake doesn't just erase everything the two of us have been through together."

Wally sighed, remaining firm in his point of view. "I get that. I know you still love him, and I get that he cares about you...in his own way. I just don't think that it's healthy to pretend that it never happened."

"I'm _not_ going to pretend it never happened. I tried that before and we all know how that ended. And yeah, things between us won't ever be the same as they were before. I can accept that. But I think it's still worth salvaging."

Wally made a motion to speak, but Dick caught it and quickly cut him off.

"That whole time you were looking for me, you never gave up hope that, despite all I had done, I could still come out of it and be the same person you knew. It's the same with Bruce. I know he screwed up and I know he'll screw up again. But despite it all..." There was a pause, but this time Dick didn't look away and he didn't grow sad. In fact, there was a small lift to the corners of his lips as he finished his statement. "...he's still my dad."

Wally didn't know what to say. It would be an outright lie to say he still did not understand Dick's reasoning in forgiving his father. After all, wasn't that line of thinking the exact same one Wally had been using the last few months while he searched for his friend? Wally was still in no position to forgive Bruce by any means. But then, it wasn't his place to forgive. He had only directly wronged Dick and Tim, and Dick had chosen to forgive him.

Wally sighed. He supposed he would have to respect his friend's choice after all. He would still be making periodic visits to the manor to watch for the slightest hint of Bruce screwing up though.

But even with that acceptance of Dick's forgiveness in mind, he still had no clue what to do next. He had still blatantly hurt Dick with that remark about family, so he couldn't just leave it like that, but didn't know how to go about apologizing for it either. After all, Dick's joyous aura seemed to indicate that he had already let it go. Still, Wally supposed he should do _something_ to lighten the unspoken tension his words had created.

As he went through a mental list of things he could say or do, he finally found one that seemed perfect. Immediately, a smile matching Dick's own appeared on his face. "Okay, I wasn't going to tell you about this 'til much later, but I really want to end things on a good note. So...brace yourself."

Dick gave him a questioning look as Wally began to fumble with something in his back pocket. In an instant it was pulled out, and Dick's heart stopped. It was a small, square, black box with softened edges. The box itself was just large enough to fit into the palm of someone's hand. Dick knew what it was immediately.

Before he even got the chance to ask, Wally snapped the box open and Dick's mouth went dry and his voice disappeared. It was a ring. A beautiful, large, silver engagement ring.

Oddly enough, the diamond was not the first thing that caught Dick's notice. It was the inscription written along the side in the most elegant writing Dick had ever seen. He could just make it out with his enhanced vision.

_~Artemis, my heart belongs to you~_

The ring was incredible. There was no doubt in Dick's mind that Wally had maxed out his student loans for something so spectacular. The band of the ring had to be especially wide to support the stone that rested on it, and Dick could clearly see several smaller gems set within said band. As for the diamond itself, it was enough to make any woman's heart melt. The inset, as well as the crystal itself, were square. Dick simply could not get over the _size_ of it. Having grown up as the ward of a billionaire and being around several people that spent money carelessly, he knew his jewelry. And he _knew_ that rock had to be _at least_ four carats.

"Oh my God." Dick said under his breath as he turned his attention from the ring to Wally, who had a big goofy smile on his face. Slowly, Dick's awestruck appearance gave way to a matching wide grin. "Oh my God!" He yelled as he charged towards his best friend, capturing the redhead in his arms, and pulling him into the strongest embrace he could. "Congratulations!"

Wally had to close his hand over the box to make sure it wouldn't fall as Dick hugged him. His enhanced strength was causing the boy to damn near lift him off the ground! It also made it hard to breathe. Wally had to pat his friend's back fiercely in an attempt to get him to notice, which he did almost right away.

"Sorry sorry." Dick said as he hurriedly put Wally back on his feat and let go of him, smile never leaving his face. "Oh my God! This is _huge_! Bruce has like this billion dollar bottle of scotch in the liquor cabinet! If ever there were a time to steal from-Wait! I'm your best man right?! I'd _better_ be your best man, or we're going to have _words_ Wally!"

Wally would have laughed at Dick's excitement if he wasn't so happy himself. It had been so long since he saw Dick get this childishly worked up over something so obvious. "Of course you are. I mean, you want to right?"

"YES!" Dick screeched, causing Wally to wince. Then Dick's smile gained the smallest bit of mischief to it. "Still though, _that's_ the way you're going to ask me? 'I mean, you want to right'? Where's the passion? I thought we had something special here."

Wally caught the humor in Dick's voice instantly, and couldn't help but play along. He got down on one knee with a dramatic flourish and extended the opened ring box towards him. "Oh my darling Dick Grayson, would you please make me the happiest man alive by becoming my best man?"

Again, Dick laughed. An incredibly welcomed sound in the halls of Wayne Manor. "You're such a dork!" Dick cackled as he lightly punched Wally in the arm. "This is incredible! I can't believe it! This is so-"

Wally got concerned when Dick stopped mid-sentence, as though he had realized something. He became even more concerned when Dick's smile abruptly vanished from his face and his wide eyes suddenly narrowed on him in what looked like irritation. "Wally." He began, his tone setting the speedster further on edge. "Why is that ring not on Artemis' finger as we speak?"

Suddenly his face felt hot and his throat tightened. Wally coughed lightly into his fist and rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably.

" _Wally?_ "

Wally looked at the ceiling. The floor. Anywhere but into Dick's eyes. The yellow still set him on edge. "Weeeeeeeell...I sort of didn't ask her yet."

Dick's eyes suddenly blazed with indignation. "Wally!"

The redhead quickly threw his arms up in surrender. "I know, I know. But so what if I haven't asked her just yet? I will."

"Not that, you idiot!" Dick shouted, crossing his arms. "You asked _me_ to be your _best man_ before you asked _Artemis_ to be your _wife_?! You _cannot_ do that!"

Wally felt like the ground had dropped out beneath him. He hadn't really thought about it like that. And when Dick put it like that...

...yeah. It did sound pretty idiotic.

Dick groaned as he ran a hand through his dark locks. "At least tell me you're going to ask her, like, later today."

Wally blushed furiously, his skin practically matching his hair in shade. "Well...I was actually planning on waiting for the right moment-"

He was cut off when Dick threw his arms up in exasperation. "Okay, no. Just...no." With that Dick promptly went for his laptop located on his bedside table and opened it up, furiously smashing his fingers on the keys for a few tense seconds without a word to Wally.

"Dick?" He asked. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry Walls, but desperate times call for desperate measures." Once Dick found the desired file, he turned his laptop around for Wally to see. The speedster in question gawked at the video on the computer.

It had been one of Dick's more outrageous pranks in his Robin days. Wally had been taking a shower in the cave after a sparring session with Kaldur. But once he got out, he practically shrieked to see his Kid Flash uniform was no longer there. In its' place was a cheerleader's uniform done up in pink and glitter. Wally had searched his room madly, but the uniform was the only clothing Robin had left behind. Deciding it was a better alternative to running around the cave completely naked, he had no choice but to reluctantly put it on before he went to strangle the life out of Batman's protege.

Chasing the cackling fourteen year old wearing that accursed uniform was without exception the most humiliating moment of his life, and he had no idea that Dick had kept a video of the event! He looked at the hacker with dread. "You've kept that all these years?!"

"And it's going to be sent out to the entire Team if you don't grow a pair and ask Artemis to marry you." Dick said with a satisfied grin.

"What?! How am I supposed to just spring this on her?!"

"Guys propose all the time. Just get down on one knee, admit you are the luckiest man alive, and ask. And you'd better do it quickly." Dick said as he suddenly tapped the cursor and a timer appeared above the video, showing it at one hour and counting. "It'll take you like ten minutes to get there. So start running. Use the other fifty minutes to plan how to ask, or to pop the champagne. But I'd better get a picture of that ring on her finger before this timer goes off or it'll go live."

"But I-"

"Fifty-nine and a half minutes." Dick said as he pointed again at the timer before he grinned and mockingly waved at the speedster as a means of saying goodbye.

Wally immediately turned around and dashed out the door, his mind going nearly as fast as his legs in an effort to figure out how to ask Artemis.

He knew he should be mad at Dick for essentially blackmailing him into proposing before he was ready. At the very least, he should have been planning a revenge prank to get back at him once this was over.

But as he heard Dick's cackle echoing behind him as he left the manor, Wally couldn't help but smile.

* * *

**Dick**

Dick was satisfied exactly half an hour later when Wally texted him a photo of Artemis with tears of joy in her eyes and holding her hand up high to show off a gorgeous ring. It was included in a group chat to inform the entire Team. M'gann already responded that this was amazing and she would be over asap to help plan. Dick couldn't deny that surge of pride he felt in himself for helping ~~forcing~~ Wally to take that step rather than allow him to continue procrastinating.

Dick's enhanced hearing picked up on the pitter patter of light footsteps inbound towards his room. He was pleasantly surprised when Tim came bursting through his door, an easy smile on his face.

"I just got the text. Wally _proposed_?!"

Dick nodded. "Yep! And before you even ask, I'm best man." Dick said proudly as he pointed a thumb to his chest.

Tim rolled his eyes as he walked over and seated himself at the foot of Dick's bed. "Of course you are."

Dick's smile remained firm but he tilted his head in confusion of how casual Tim was being. They had been pretty awkward around each other when they had met up before at Bruce's bedside. The only conversation they really had was two sentences long, wherein Dick apologized to him and Tim said that it was okay.

Dick was about to ask him about it when Tim's smile wilted and he looked at Dick with guilty eyes. "I'm really sorry. I can't believe I forgot what day it was."

That certainly explained the younger boys' insistence on coming into his room and trying to be casual. Dick didn't mind though. Given all that had happened recently, he had all but resigned to spending today by himself. The presence of Wally and Tim was more than he could dare hope for.

"It's okay Timmy." Dick assured gently.

Tim smiled sadly as he shook his head. "No, it's not. I've been so caught up in my own crap that I haven't bothered to pay attention to you, and that's _not_ okay."

Dick felt guilt twinge in his chest. Tim was talking to him like _he_ was the younger brother and Tim, the older. He had been a pour excuse for a brother since this whole mess started in fact, and that was without factoring in the numerous times he had been violent with Robin. First he had attacked him to maintain his cover with the Court, then again during his night terror, then he slapped the younger across the face during their fight, attacked him the following day when Dick thought that he had been the one to tell Bruce, and then one final time three nights ago in the Judge's mansion.

Between their multiple violent encounters, harsh words to each other, and overall neglect, Dick could only hope that their relationship could be salvaged.

Before he could even touch on such a subject though, Tim went first again. "There's something you need to know. I didn't say anything to Bruce. I swear it. He had a spy software on my gauntlet that I didn't know about. That was how he found the video. I never would have betrayed you like that." Tim pleaded.

Tim's words were meant as a reassurance, but it actually made Dick feel worse by far to know that he had attacked his brother that night for no reason at all. If nothing else, it was nice to know that Tim had kept his promise. "I'm sorry Tim."

Tim raised a brow like he truly had no idea what Dick had to be sorry for.

Dick was quick to elaborate. "You deserved exactly none of what I've put you through lately. I can't bear what you must think of me, but I'm sorry. You deserve a better brother than me."

Tim looked like he had just been punched in the gut after hearing Dick's words. "Don't _ever_ say that! I forgave you for all of it a long time ago. You don't have anything to be sorry for."

"Tim, I _attacked_ you."

Tim's face fell and got a look on his face that Dick was very familiar with. He got it whenever he had a program or math problem that even his genius brain couldn't quite get the hang of. In this case, Dick was the program.

Tim let out a long sigh before answering. He wished that it didn't have to come to this. Dick's secrets were his own, and digging around in them was what caused this whole mess to start. But he needed Dick to know that none of this was on him.

"I saw the footage."

Dick gave him a questioning glance. "Well...duh. Everyone did."

"No, I mean I saw the _whole_ footage. I was the one that dug around in the Court's security tapes and found the video of Zucco. But while I was looking around, before I found that...I saw...the _others._ I saw everything else they did _before_ Zucco."

A pregnant silence hung in the air after Tim said his piece. Dick felt like his limbs had turned to lead, and his blood had stilled in his veins. It was somewhat similar to the feeling that had overcome him when the Team told him they knew about Zucco, but this was different.

Zucco's video had shown his shame.

Everything proceeding that had been nothing but pain.

He wasn't nearly as bothered by the violation as he had been with Zucco's tape. In fact, the first thought that came to mind was how awful it was that Tim had seen such violent imagery. Despite everything they saw on a regular basis simply by going out on patrol, Dick, ever the big brother, wouldn't even let Tim watch R rated movies.

He felt dissociated from the whole thing. Among ever atrocity, degradation, and violation that took place in that wretched maze, the one that had always been at the forefront of Dick's mind had not been what was done to him. It had always been what he himself had done.

But that didn't erase the actions of the Owls nor did it make them disappear. It was those very acts that lead him to hunt down the Judge in the first place. The pain and humiliation caused by them was still a part of him. He accepted that and he was willing to do what it took to move on.

He just wished that Tim hadn't gotten involved in that particular part of his recovery.

"I'm...I'm sorry all that happened to you." Tim said, breaking the silence. It was the best thing he could think of to drain out some of the tension that had filled the air.

"I really wish you hadn't seen that Timmy." Dick said, still concerned with the impact those images would have on Tim's forming mind.

"Yeah. I wish I hadn't either." Tim agreed. No matter how much he tried, nothing would ever erase those images from his brain. He would never forget Dick's desperate cries for someone to rescue him, the way the Owls laughed, the tearing of flesh from bone. Tim shook his head to clear himself of such thoughts. "But I still did. So if you ever want to talk about it-"

"I _don't_."

"But _if_ you do, I'll be here for you." Tim said as his blue eyes locked with Dick's yellow ones. Another small amount of stillness went on between them before Tim spoke again. "You know I still love you, right?"

Dick's heart fluttered, felling that it no longer deserved such affection. "But Tim, I _hurt_ you-"

"And I hurt you." Tim cut in. "If you really want to play the blame game, fine. If I hadn't dug around in what the Court did to you, I never would have found that video, Bruce never would have seen it, and the last two months never would have happened. Now we can spend all night arguing over which one of is more responsible, but I don't want that. I just want to start things over. We can do that, can't we?"

Dick couldn't stop the smile that came to him. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. He reached forward and collected Tim in a strong hug. It seemed to startle the younger at first, but soon enough he leaned in and returned it. "I'd like that."

They stayed like that for a few moments, and Dick couldn't help but think about how blessed he was to be surrounded by friends and family like the ones he had. This was all he ever could have wanted and more.

First Bruce, then Wally, and now Tim.

Everything seemed to be falling back into place.

And it wasn't lost on Dick that this never would have been possible if he had killed the Judge of Owls.

He knew he would hate himself for ruining such a great moment, but there was something that had been weighing heavy on his mind since his talk with Wally.

"Tim." He began softly, chin still pressed to the top of his brother's hair. "What happened between you and Bruce?"

He felt the boy stiffen and try to pull back from the hug, which upset Dick. Still, he released his hold and allowed the boy to break free so they could look at each other.

"He didn't tell you?" Tim asked, his tone bordering on vexation.

"I wouldn't be asking if he did."

Tim crossed his arms and looked away with narrowed eyes and a small sigh. "When I found out he saw the video and he wanted to send you to Arkham, I begged him not to and to just see what else happened to you. But...he's Bruce. Once he's made up his mind about something..." Tim trailed off before starting again. "I practically got on my knees, but nothing worked. Finally, I told him that if he sent you away, he could consider himself childless. And even after I said that...even after I told him in no uncertain terms that he would lose me too if he did something like that...he went ahead and tried to do it anyway."

Tim turned his head, not willing to see Dick's reaction. Dick had always been willing to fight Bruce on Tim or Jason's behalf, and a part of Tim realized half way through his explanation that sharing this with Dick could very well tear apart his brother's new found connection with Bruce. A part of Tim felt remorse for that, fearing that it may damage Dick's recent euphoric state of mind. That said, an even larger part of him (and a much pettier part at that) was glad to put a dent in that bond. Bruce would only disappoint Dick in the end. Everyone knew it. It was better to remind Dick of who the man behind the mask really was rather then-

Tim stopped his inner tirade when he felt Dick's arms wrap around him from his side. "Timmy," He soothed as he used the palm of his hand to make small circles around Tim's back. "I'm so sorry he did that to you. That wasn't right."

Tim numbly leaned into the touch, his eyes cast downward. "How do you forgive him for everything he did to you. To _us_?"

Dick let out a long breath before answering. "Forgiveness has a lot more to do with me than it does with Bruce. And I don't want to become someone who lets hatred and resentment define who they are."

 _"I want to forgive Bruce, so that I never_ **become** _Bruce."_ Dick left that last part unsaid. It was something that he needed to say solely for himself, and not even Tim would ever be able to pry that from him.

"But he _hurt_ you." Tim hissed out. "I knew he was capable of really awful things. That's what lets him be Batman. But the reason I was able to work with him is because I always thought that no matter how cruel he might be to the rest of the world, he would never be that cruel to us. And then he does something like that to you? _You_?"

Dick hummed as he took in the full meaning of Tim's words. It was a popular rumor. That no matter how many Robins Bruce took in, Dick would always be his favorite. Dick himself never wanted such a position. He was never one for titles or holding some special place. He especially didn't want it because he couldn't help but think of how it would affect Tim to know that no matter what he did, he would always be in second place in Bruce's heart.

But Tim never seemed to mind it. Resentment wasn't the guiding for in his words. It wasn't even entirely concern for Dick, even though it was clearly the driving force.

What Tim really wanted to ask was; _"If he can do something like that to his favorite, what is he capable of doing to the rest of us?"_

It was a fair point, and Dick wasn't entirely sure he knew how to answer the unspoken question. Considering Tim couldn't bring himself to voice the concern, Dick thought it best not to address it directly at all. "I know it's really complicated and confusing Tim. And just because I've forgiven him it doesn't mean I've forgotten what he did. It's not an easy thing to do, and I don't blame you for not doing it. But trust me, you'll get there."

"What if I just don't want to forgive him?" Tim asked, keeping his firm glare on the wall.

Dick smiled softly. "I think you do. I know it's a lot to ask, but do you think you could maybe try? For me?"

Tim's glare softened. He wanted so badly to keep being mad at Bruce. It would be easy. Bruce was brash, tactless, and he certainly never coddled his proteges. Plus, Tim had become an independent hero now. Free from his mentor, just as Roy was free from Oliver. He could easily go the rest of his career without speaking to Bruce if that was what he wanted. And yet...

And yet there still some part of him that wanted Bruce's approval more than anything. Tim was a smart one. He knew from his extensive research in his psychology class that this was a result of his parent's utter lack of affection for him during his childhood. He had diagnosed that in himself a long time ago. But whether or not he was aware of the cause and whether or not it was healthy wasn't really the point.

It would make Dick happy if he did this. And a part of him would be happier for it as well in the long run.

For the millionth time that evening, a sigh escaped from one of the manor's residents. "I'll try." Tim said. Though not long after he spoke, his declaration was punctuated with a yawn.

Dick giggled. "When was the last time you slept?"

"I never sleep." Tim moaned as he gave into his exhaustion and let himself fall further into his brother's embrace.

Dick nodded and smirked. "I see. And how many cups of coffee have you been through today?"

"Nine?" Tim more asked than answered.

Dick shook his head, but his smile was still very much there. "No more of that. You are getting some sleep mister." Dick said as he repositioned himself so that he was hugging Tim from behind. Pretty soon, they were lying down on the bed together with Dick wrapped around Tim like a koala.

Tim yawned again, his caffeine high wearing off quickly. "But I need to finish my school work."

"I'll help you with it tomorrow morning. You should get some sleep now because I'm not going to let you go until I'm sure you're under." Dick said softly yet sternly.

"Okay. If you want." Tim said as his eyes began to flutter.

"I want." Dick replied. He allowed his mind to wonder to their conversation earlier as Tim began to drift off.

He had meant what he said. He had forgiven Bruce for his mistakes, just as everyone else seemed to for what he had done. Tim had been right. They could drive themselves insane going back and forth with who was ultimately responsible and who wasn't. But as Dick went over the long list of flaws and faults in all the people close to him, there was one in particular that he knew didn't deserve forgiveness. Someone who would never have it. Someone who still needed to pay.

"Cobb."

"Hmm?" Tim hummed, still awake but tired.

"Before you were talking about how either one of us could take the fall for what's been going on. For everything that all of us went through. But it's not you, or me, or even Bruce. It's Cobb. That's who we should blame."

Tim didn't respond. After some small amount of waiting, a light snoring disrupted the silence of the room. Dick carefully uncurled his arms from around the other boy, then gingerly maneuvered the blanket around his shoulders without disturbing him. Once he was satisfied, he looked down at Tim's sleeping form and smiled.

Dick then heard the ding of his phone go off and quietly made his way out of the room and into the hall. He didn't want to risk waking Tim. Once Dick looked at his phone and saw the text he got from Wally, he frowned in confusion. He had no idea why Wally would send such a message until he realized something with a combination of horror and amusement.

The video of Wally during that prank. Dick had forgotten to abort the timer. It must have been sent out.

Dick did his best to contain his laughter until he was out of earshot of the room, resulting in a small chortle. Once he was far enough away from his own bedroom, Dick allowed himself to break down in fits of laughter as he reread Wally's text.

_GODDAMN YOU DICK GRAYSON!_

Dick knew it would put him in even more hot water, but he had forgotten how fun it was to troll people. He continued to shake with laughter and glee as he typed out a response.

_I wish you could see how hard I'm laughing._

Wally replied to him not a moment later. And even though it was a threat, Dick couldn't help but cackle harder at it.

_I'M GOING TO END YOU GRAYSON! DON'T FORGET I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!_

* * *

_One week later_

It was the dead of night when Dick decided to leave the manor.

He had already changed into his Talon uniform (which he kept discretely tucked away in a floorboard next to his bedside table) and formed a plan. All that was left was to sneak into the cave. However, that was more easily said than done.

Dick had managed to get out of his room and downstairs easily enough without arousing suspicion. Aside from Wally's visit the week prior, no one had come over. It was most likely a combination of wanting to give the Batfamily their privacy and excitement over Wally and Artemis' engagement. The family itself was a whole other can of worms.

Dick was saddened to find that despite Tim's promise to him, he had made no effort whatsoever to work things out with Bruce. He hadn't even visited him in the medical wing. Leslie had left a few days ago as well after Bruce became stable enough to walk around the manor, despite her protests that he remain on bed rest. As for Alfred, the elder managed to tolerate their collective antics for the most part.

Tonight was the perfect time to leave. Tim had gone a few more sleepless nights to catch up with his school work and Bruce pushed forward with his physical therapy to get back into cowl as soon as he could. In response, Alfred made took the initiative to spike their coffee with codeine. Both were out like lights before they knew what hit them.

Dick had just made it to the front of the grandfather clock, and was just about to push the hour hand into place when a voice from behind caught his attention.

"What do you think you are doing?"

He cast a sad smile as he turned to see Alfred glaring daggers at him. No doubt a result of his wearing the Talon uniform. With options, he wouldn't have. But the Court had destroyed the Nightwing suit he had been wearing when they took him. In lieu of stealing a uniform from Robin or Batman, this was all he has. "I was just-"

"Under no circumstance are you to leave this manor, Master Dick."

Well, there went his plan for escaping quietly while Bruce and Tim were out cold. Dick gave him a small smile with pleading eyes. "I _have_ to Alfred. This won't be like last time. I'll be back before the sun is up. There's just something I need to do."

Alfred's glare on him lightened the smallest amount as he raised an eyebrow in questioning. "And what, pray tell, is this deed that cannot wait until tomorrow?"

"I have to make things right to an old friend." Dick said, praying that the simple sentence would capture everything he needed to explain.

Alfred's manner softened and he strode to the boy that had been under his care for so many years. He caught the teenagers' shoulder and gave him a knowing look, which Dick returned in kind. He was grateful beyond words that Alfred understood his meaning and why he had to do this.

"Your ultimatum of sunrise is not acceptable." Alfred chided lightly. If Dick was not mistaken, he could make out a small catch in the elders' voice. "You will return to this manor at midnight, or I will be forced to come fetch you myself."

Dick winced at the implications of that threat. He may have taken on Batman and Robin, but he was not foolish enough to invoke the wrath of Alfred. Still, the humorous side of him could not resist the chance to poke fun at the threat after being suppressed for so long. "Midnight? That's like three hours from now! What am I, Cinderella?"

"Would you prefer to make it eleven o'clock?" Alfred asked as he pulled back his arm.

Dick frowned, smart enough to know when he was beat. "No." He grumbled.

Alfred nodded as turned around and went to the stairs, most likely to go back to Bruce's bedside and make sure he was still asleep. "Best be on your way then. Do give Miss Gordon my regards."

Dick's smile returned as he turned back towards the cave's entrance. He did feel a small twinge of guilt for hiding the truth from Alfred though. He was going to visit his oldest friend, but he had another stop to make this night...

* * *

**Barbara**

Barbara Gordon continued to type code furiously into her laptop. She had managed to convince her father to go home and get some rest about an hour earlier. It hurt her to see him agonize over her paralysis, and she certainly couldn't do this with him sitting in her hospital room.

But pain wasn't really the key thing in her mind. In fact, it didn't register at all. She had long since recovered from the fact that Dick would not bother to see her (which in it's own way, was more traumatic than the actual shot that tore through her spine). She didn't feel pain at all. No pain, or grief, or depression whatsoever. No sir.

Because Barbara Gordon was angry.

She was angry at the Joker for taking Batgirl from her. She was angry at Dick for leaving her flowers and daring to think that was good enough. She was angry at Bruce for setting all of this in motion.

So she was doing what the Bats did best. She was taking it out on someone else.

Multiple someones actually. She couldn't come at criminals physically, but their computers were another matter. The fun thing about the twenty-first century was that when you looked through someone else's computer, it was like peering into their bedroom window. There was no telling what you were going to find. So far, she had taken down three underhanded businessmen, about five corrupt district attorneys (all from different counties), and sealed the deal on Lex Luthor's conviction by sending an anonymous email filled with incriminating documents to the authorities. The rest was done by sending the information she had to heroes around the world.

But it wasn't the same.

It would never be the same.

She would never again feel the wind rush through her hair as she swung from rooftop to rooftop. Never again fly through the air with grace that rivaled Nightwing's. Never be able to so much as get into a car without someone there to help her. And Barbara could not imagine anything worse than having to need someone's help for every little thing.

At least hacking was still hers. No one could take this away from her. No one could-

"Babs."

Not for the first time, Barbara wished she could jump up from her bed and strangle the person who dared to bother her. She had all but bitten the head off the last nurse that asked her if she needed anything. If someone else was going to make that same mistake, so be it. She closed her laptop with a smack as she made to look up at whoever was bugging her this time. "Okay, what the hell do-"

The words died in her throat as soon as she saw who it was.

She had heard through the grapevine that he was back. That only made her even more angry at him for not coming, though. For days, she had been prepared to tear this person's throat out the moment she saw him. She had actually formed a plan. An entire speech dedicated to telling him that he had completely betrayed her, and left her right when she needed him the most. That she didn't want him anywhere near her, and that she would be just fine on her own. That no amount of torment he endured justified what he had put her through by leaving, and that she had been there for him and he should have done the same.

But now that he was in front of her, she couldn't utter a single word of it. She just stared for a moment and briefly wondered if they had changed her pain medication and given her too much morphine by accident.

But something in her gut told her that this was true. This was Dick Grayson.

He was standing impossibly still at the foot of her bed. The fact that he was wearing his Talon uniform barely registered in her mind. His features were twisted into something that met part ways between fear and guilt. And it wasn't lost on her that he was staring at the protrusion of her legs under the blanket that was draped over the lower half of her body. He looked like he was ready for her to completely unload on him. Had he come a few days earlier, she very well may have.

They stayed in that frozen position for the longest time. Neither one knew what to do or what to say. What do you say to the friend that you abandoned for two months, despite an injury that nearly took her life? How do you speak to the friend that had been put through hell, was disowned by his father, and then went on a spree of violent crimes? The irony behind the silence was not lost on Barbara. Normally they could talk for hours and lose track of time with their conversations. But now, it was like a complete stranger had broken into her room.

When a single sound broke through the wall of silence, Dick nearly jumped out of his skin. He didn't even know what it was at first. But soon the sound came again, and then again. It soon became a constant, and he forced himself to look away from her legs once he recognized what it was. Crying. Babs was crying. She had her head down, and was furiously trying to wipe her face to keep him from seeing her in a moment of weakness, but it was still there.

He was by her side in an instant, taking her by the shoulders and her face to his chest just as Bruce had done for him. He knew full well that it wasn't his place, being the one that caused her to cry in the first place. But he needed to do something. This wasn't just another civilian who had been put through some terrible trauma that he could drop off at the nearest hospital. This was different. This was Babs.

"Yo...you _bastard_." She strained between sobs. He could feel her pushing against his chest in an effort to force him off. He refused to let go ever again though. Just as Bruce had said to him. Never again. "You jerk. You...you..."

Somehow, he managed to crack a small grin in the heat of the moment. "I think the word you're looking for is dick."

She made a noise that sounded like something caught between a whimper and a laugh. He held her tighter as he began to speak. "I'm so sorry Babs. I could put this on the Joker, or the Court, or me being a Talon, but none of that is true. You needed me and I chose not to come. For that I'm so sorry. There's no excuse for the way I've treated you. I was just afraid."

" _Afraid?_ " She interrupted. This time she succeeded in breaking free from his chest, though his arms were still tightly looped around her shoulders. She looked up at him, eyes demanding an explanation, not from a place of anger but desperation. "Of _what?_ "

"Of me." He answered. He knew it was a crude response, but it was the only one he could think of. "My entire time with the Court, they were completely driven towards erasing Dick Grayson. They wanted their Gray Son and nothing else. And after what happened with Bruce...I was just an idiot and I convinced myself that they succeeded. And I thought I only would hurt you if I couldn't be the Dick Grayson you remembered. But it wasn't my place to decide that. I should have come."

"Yeah. You should have." She said, looking away. She scrubbed her face to get the stray tears and refused to let anymore fall.

Dick sighed as he lowered himself down to the seat by her bed, shifting his hands so they were on her shoulders. "I'm so sorry Babs. I'm so so sorry. I'm completely disgusted with the way I've behaved lately. With the things I've done. But if you give me a chance, I swear I'll make things right. Please. I can't lose you too."

She gave him a look once he said 'too', knowing full well that he had meant Jason. Knowing Dick, he hadn't meant for that part to slip out. Ironically, that was what sealed the deal. Damn Dick Grayson. No matter how badly he screwed up, she could never stay mad at him. She let out a long breath and gave him a leveled look before raising a hand up to her shoulder and taking his hand in hers. "If you ever even think about leaving again, I _will_ hunt you down." She said with a small smile finding its way onto her face when Dick chuckled in response.

"You know, Alfred said something similar earlier. I was on the fence there before, but now it's a lock. I'll take Batman and Robin any day. But Babs and Alfred? God help me."

The two of them were able to laugh genuinely for the first time in a long time. The silence set in again after that, but this time it was far more comfortable. Again, Barbara was the one to put a stop to it.

"Is this real then?" She asked. "You're back for good?"

He smiled genuinely at her. "I am. I promise." He looked her up and down again, and something crossed his face when he looked at her legs again. He cast his head down, not able to face her. "I'm so sorry."

Barbara frowned. She knew he wasn't talking about his absence anymore. He was sorry that this happened to her. While the thought was appreciated, she had to take a deep breath to reign in her emotions. She was sick of that word. 'Sorry'. 'I'm sorry this happened to you'. 'I'm sorry you were hurt'. It had been nice to hear at first, but at a certain point it almost felt like the people saying that were making fun of her.

"Don't be." She said. When he wouldn't look at her, she pressed further. "Really Dick. I'm fi-"

"No you're not." Dick said as he looked up at her. Now he was the one pleading. "Don't say you're fine. You're not. I know it's rich coming from me after what I've put you all through these last few months, but please just tell me the truth."

He was right. It _was_ rich coming from him. They had to uncover an actual tape of what happened just to get him talking about it. She nearly called him out on that fact, but decided against it once she realized that it wouldn't accomplish anything.

And she hated to admit it, but he was right. She was putting him through exactly what he had done to the entire Team when they got him back from the Court. Despite what Batman claimed, sometimes it was for the best to come clean about how you were feeling. She took a deep breath before she could bring herself to speak.

"I'm not alright." Barbara admitted. "I'm not. I feel angry all the time. And sad. And hurt. I'm not going to walk again. I can't be a hero ever again. And I..." She sniffled despite herself. "I feel so weak. I can't stand that feeling. I worked my ass off to become Batgirl and stay on par in a Team full of metas. And now that's all just gone. Everything I did. Everything I could have done. It's...it's just..." She began to break down again despite her best attempts to keep her expression neutral.

Dick leaned forward and pulled her into another hug. "It's not fair." He agreed as she went back to drying her face. "It's not. It never will be. And I hate that this happened to you. But Babs...being Batgirl isn't what made you special. You're special because you make everything better. You made _me_ better. I was just some orphaned ward of a billionaire that no one wanted anything to do with. You're the one who brought me out of my shell. You're not weak. You're my best friend. You're a hero. You're...Babs."

Something inside of her melted a bit at Dick's words. He wasn't exactly a poet when it came to these things, but his words comforted her nonetheless. Regardless, she couldn't resist the opportunity to mess with him. "Wow. You are a true wordsmith."

"Shut up." Dick said, gaining back some of his grin. He gave her a studying look for a moment, as though something occurred to him. "You know, I met someone like you a long time ago, back at the circus."

"Be careful where you go with this analogy." She said, only partially in humor.

He chortled and shook his head. "It was a fortune teller that my mom was friends with. People loved her. The All Seeing Oracle. She did palms, tarot, you name it. I really thought that she was magic or something when I was a kid. It wasn't until I was like thirteen that I figured out the truth."

"Don't tell me. She wasn't actually clairvoyant?" Barbara asked with a raised brow, wondering where he was taking this.

"She read facial expressions and body language. She was one of the best actually. She could have played poker and taken Vegas by storm, but she chose to help people instead. Whenever someone came to her, she would always tell them exactly what they needed to hear. That everything would be okay, or that it was time to go out and become the person they were meant to be. Stuff like that. It wasn't always true, but that wasn't the point. The point is that people came to see her fearing what their future would bring, and she sent them out into the world filled with hope for tomorrow."

"And _I_ remind you of her?" Barbara asked in full interest. She was no fortune teller, and she certainly didn't go out of her way to make strangers feel better about themselves. She went out of her way to take the worst the world had to offer and laugh in its' face while kicking its' ass. She _used to_ anyway.

"Of course you do." He said with a wide smile. "You read _me_. You saw that I was alone and you did something about it. I wouldn't have become friends with Wally, or Roy, or anyone else if it weren't for you. That's what you do Babs. That's what you've always done. And no one and nothing can take that away from you. Whether you're Babs, or Batgirl, or whatever you call yourself. You'll always be a hero."

Barbara just sat there in awe for a moment. She had never thought of it like that. No one had ever put it that way. Her dad might have, had he known she was Batgirl. Leave it to Dick Grayson to brighten up a situation like this. She was about to say as much when she noticed that he was no longer looking at her. He was staring at something else in the room with a concerned look. She didn't need to turn. She knew he was looking at the clock. And she also knew what that meant. And surprisingly, she didn't mind.

"You have to leave, don't you?" Barbara asked. The guilty look she got in response was all the answer she needed. "It's okay. Head back to the manor. Alfred's probably worried sick."

"Not yet." He said hurriedly as got up from his seat. "I can't go back to the manor yet. There's one last thing I need to do while I'm out. And I need to do it before my carriage turns into a pumpkin."

The redhead snickered and gave him a questioning look. He only shrugged. "Long story."

She waved him off as she looked down at her laptop. "Do what you need to do. I'm not going anywhere. And for the record, I expect you to bring chocolate the next time you-"

Her quip was cut short when she turned to face him and saw that he was no longer there. Barbara craned her neck but saw no sign of him anywhere in the room. Her window wasn't even open, and her door was still shut. Something about that brought a smile to her face.

_"Some things never change."_

With that thought, Barbara opened her computer back up and got to work. This time it wasn't in anger, but in determination. She was going to prove Dick right. She was going to change things for the better.

In the back of her mind though, she continued to replay the story Dick had told her about the fortuneteller he knew.

Oracle, huh?

She could work with that.

* * *

William Cobb stared up at the ceiling of his cell in a state of apathy. There was not much else to do.

His arm had been reattached before he had been locked up in the gateway to hell which was known to the public as Arkham Asylum. Apparently it would be considered 'cruel and unusual' to leave it severed. And yet, somehow his current living conditions did not meet such a standard.

The cell he had been placed in once belonged to Mr. Freeze, who had long since been transferred to Belle Reve. It was rather elegant in it's simplicity. There were no bars like a prison cell. Instead, there was a bulletproof plexiglass barrier that separated him from the rest of the world which made up one of the walls. The other three were solid steel, and one had a perpetually locked door used only to deliver food, despite the fact that he did not need nor want it. Above him were vents that pumped in dry, frigid air. The was some sense of irony to be found in that. This cell had those vents for the sake of making Freeze more comfortable while also ensuring that he could never leave this cell. In Cobb's case, it only served to impair his movements and make a for a torturous state of rest.

The cell itself was in the lower levels of Arkham. Underground in fact. The most dangerous of them were placed here in a state of solitary. There was never any medication. Never any therapy. Only staff coming by to make sure he was alive and on occasion, a few of them to strap him down and administer volt after volt of electricity. He never made a sound the entire time.

Cobb had resigned himself to spending as much time down here as he needed before he could find the opening required for his escape. He didn't care how long that might be. One year. One hundred. What was such sentiment to an immortal such as himself?

Cobb was finally pulled from his meditative state by the sound of glass crashing. He jolted in the mattress they laid out for him and looked up at the glass barrier just in time to see a knife thrown with deadly accuracy nail a camera on the wall outside his cell right in the lens.

Curious, Cobb dragged himself up off the makeshift bed, the cold constricting his movements like bindings, and walked up to the glass. He could just make out a figure approaching his cell in the darkness. Soon enough the newcomer was standing right before him, staring at him while stared back in mild surprise.

It was almost like staring into an old mirror to see another wearing that uniform. Usually, there was only one active Talon in the Court during times of peace. It was only during upheaval the likes of which they had faced when the Justice League attacked that they were all brought out of hibernation at once. And the Talons never truly interacted with one another. They only followed their orders with ironclad obedience. For that was the mark of a true Talon.

And even though the man before him was wearing the uniform, he was far from a true Talon.

Cobb smirked as he gestured for the man to raise his hood. "I know it's you under that mask Richard. Come now. I wish to gaze upon my great grandson's face."

Through oranges lenses, Cobb could make out eyes narrowed into a glare. Still, the Talon before him raised a clawed hand up and yanked off the hood without ceremony. Yellow clashed against yellow as the blood relatives stared each other down. If looks could kill, both would be dead.

Cobb's disgusting twist of muscle that others might mistake for a smile never left his face. "Someone will notice that camera you took out eventually. Whatever you came here for, you may as well get on with it."

Dick's posture and glare didn't change in the slightest. "In case you haven't noticed, Arkham doesn't have top-notch security guards. It'll be hours before anyone looks up at the monitors long enough to notice that one of the cameras is down." His tone came out like ice.

Cobb raised a single brow and allowed the smile to fall in favor of a probing look. "Then why have you come here? I'm always happy to receive family but-"

"I was going to kill you ya' know." Dick interrupted, causing Cobb to stop and raise a brow. "I'd been planning it for a while actually. I was going to sneak in here, lower the temperature in your room till you froze solid, and then give you a gentle tap and let you shatter on the floor like glass."

Cobb expression didn't change in the slightest. He didn't seem the least bit concerned in his descendant's plot to kill him. In fact, some part of him seemed to be pleased with the revelation. "And yet, here you are. You have your claws. Your weapons. If you hate me so much, then do as you will."

Dick scoffed when he realized what Cobb's game was. He actually _wanted_ Dick to kill him. That way he would be free of the humiliation that came with his incarceration and make Dick take one last life. Dick knew that this would be different from the Labyrinth, and different from the Judge. Talons had always been the exception to Batman's rule. They were already dead in every way that counted. Bruce wouldn't even care if he killed him. He'd probably be just as happy about it as Dick would be.

But that was not the only thing that made this different from the Judge. When he had been in the Judge's mansion, surrounded by all the luxurious expenses which she was able to pay for using her blood money, all he wanted to do was tear her throat out.

But this was something else entirely. This was William Cobb. His own great-grandfather. In a way, that made it all worse. His own flesh and blood had done that to him.

It caused Dick to further engage Cobb, something he knew was a mistake.

"There's something I need to ask you, and I need you to answer honestly. I get that we're hardly close. We're barely family. Hell, I didn't even know you until three years ago. But I'm your direct descendant. I'm your flesh and blood." Dick said, voice cracking against his will. "How could you let all that happen to me? What the hell was going through your mind while they tormented me?"

Cobb's blank expression stayed firm, as though he truly didn't think there was anything abnormal about what he had done to his own family. "I was thinking about what an excellent Talon you would become."

Dick's eyes widened in exasperation and the air drained from his lungs in a slight whimper that made it past his defenses. He didn't know why he had expected anything less. But just to hear the viscous indifference in Cobb's voice made it all the more real. The most important thing Dick had learned from his time with Bruce was that family was not defined by blood. But that didn't take away the pain of knowing that his only blood relative in the world wanted to subject him to a fate worse than death.

Dick should have hated him. He truly should have. Hate had flowed through and overcome him like a poison when he had been in the presence of the Judge and Zucco. And Cobb had ruined his life just as much as they. He had even directly participated in his torture, while the Judge was a cold observer. If there were anyone Dick should be capable of hating more than the two of them, it would be Cobb.

But Cobb's situation was something else entirely. He was stripped of all titles, ranking, and respect. He had been sentenced to spend the rest of his days in a cell half the size of a bedroom. He had been unmasked to the world, and the Court had been exposed and destroyed. To a someone like Cobb, who considered himself a proud warrior, this was far worse than any fate Dick could inflict on him.

And even if that weren't the case, he still wouldn't be able to do away with his tormentor for the strangest of reasons. A reason that Dick couldn't explain, even to himself.

"You were wrong before. I don't hate you." Dick finally said. Cobb seemed just as shocked to hear those words as Dick was to say them. "Can you believe that? I used to hate you more than anything or anyone else. More than Zucco, more than the Judge. But now I look at you, and honestly William, I just pity you."

Shock quickly turned to rage and Cobb beat a fist against the glass, which did not so much as crack. Dick made no reaction whatsoever.

"You _dare_ -"

"I _do_." Dick cut off, further infuriating the older Talon. "You don't get it, do you Cobb? It doesn't matter what the Court told you, or what you tell yourself. You're not special. You are the exact same caliber of criminal I've been putting in this asylum since I was nine years old. The only difference is the size of your ego. And I refuse to waste anymore time or anymore tears on what you put me through. I'm going to let it go."

Cobb's anger melted away and was replaced again by one of confusion. "Let go? You're stronger now because of the pain."

Dick snorted at his ancestor. Even after all this time, Cobb still honestly thought he had been doing Dick a service by turning him into a Talon. "No Cobb. I'm stronger now because of _who I am_. Because of my friends and my family. You don't get to take credit for me. I'm the person I am because of my parents, and because of Bruce.

"The last few weeks I've been driving myself to clinical insanity trying to figure out why this all happened to me. Why it didn't happen to people like you. And now I've finally figured it out. I didn't become a hero so that I could live a long life, or be happy, or have a family. I became a hero so that everyone _else_ could have those things. Even people like you who don't deserve it. Because that is the vow I made on the name my mother gave to me. And I'm not going to let you or anyone else take that away from me.

"You made me think I was a monster. So I am going to get through this, I am going to get past all the pain and agony and hatred you've inflicted on me, and I am going to spend the rest of my life proving you wrong."

Cobb's stood their listening the entire time, but Dick had a feeling that he only bothered to listen to every other word. But once he was done, Cobb cracked another disgusting smile. "You honestly believe that, don't you? You believe that it was I that turned you into a Talon."

"It's not what I believe. It's what I know. You're the one who brought the knife down. You're the one who injected me. You're the one who administered the spark." Dick shot back, but Cobb seemed unfazed.

"I won't deny that I took on the responsibility of turning you into one of us in the genetic sense. But electrum is not what makes a Talon what they are. A Talon is defined by their skill. Their loyalty. But most of all, by their _destiny_. Tell me, what drew you to the name Nightwing?"

His head spinning from the sudden change in topics, Dick stayed silent as Cobb answered for him.

"I know the origin of the name itself. I know you took it from Superman's legends. Nightwing and Flamebird. Order and Chaos. But why were you drawn to that particular myth? That particular word? 'Nightwing'. Wings of the Night. Tell me, what kind of _animal_ flies on wings in the dead of night? Certainly robins do not. The name itself rejects your mother's legacy. A bat may, but you never wanted to be a bat. You have feared becoming like him more than anything else. So what else flies at night? Can you think of nothing else?" (2-3)

Dick gave him a hard look and leaned in so close that his nose almost touched the glass. "I'm not an Owl. I'm not a Talon. And I'm certainly not you. I'll never be anything like you."

"So you think you'll be different? You think you will be able to resist the Court? Don't you realize that we all thought that once? You may think yourself above the Court, but do not forget that you gave into them."

"This again?" Dick groaned in frustration. "The entire time I was with the Court, listening to you drone on about your victories and achievements was by far the worst form of torture I had to endure. I didn't come here tonight to listen to another one of your smug stories about the time you won. In case you haven't noticed, this is not one of those times."

Cobb shook his head and grinned. "I disagree." He then fixed his grandson with a predatory look in his yellow eyes. "You don't see it, do you? That darkness inside of you. That hatred. Now that it is a part of you it will only continue to grow and spread. Trust me, I know. You will become exactly what I intended, and along the way you will tear down that family you have fought so hard to protect." Cobb then pressed his forearm against the glass and leaned closer to his grandson, wicked smile growing larger as he did so. "You see, even from this cell I will still win. And it will all be due to you."

For a moment, Dick glanced down to the hood he was gripping before he looked back up into Cobb's soulless golden orbs. Any other time, he wouldn't allow himself to be vexed by an adversary's taunts. It was a defense mechanism he had built up a long time ago. Enemies would try to get at you from every angle. Anything to through you off your game and shake you. But this one broke through his defenses and pierced his chest like an arrow. Dick's mind briefly flickered back to that night in the mansion, when he had beaten Bruce mercilessly and nearly killed the Judge. In this one case, Cobb's words got to him solely because even though they could not be more wrong, they were still incredibly close to being true.

If Dick had gone through with his revenge plan that night, he effectively would have been doing exactly what Cobb just said he would. His actions would have resonated throughout the League, and if the public ever found out what Nightwing had been up to the last few months, it would only be worse. Trust would have been broken. The public's faith in the League would have vanished. Dick had never thought about the full consequences that his actions would bare.

But in the end, he hadn't gone through with it. He never would. He wouldn't lose himself to anger and revenge. He wouldn't let Cobb win.

"You still don't understand Cobb." Richard said in a tired voice as he tightened his hold on the owl hood in his hand. "I came here tonight to kill you. And if I had gone through with it, then the world would be a better place for it. But then I would be just like you. So I'm going to leave you here forever. And you're going to disappear. Your legacy, your crimes, your name...all living memory of you is going to be left down here in the dark with you. It'll be like you never even existed."

Dick knew he had struck something in his ancestor when he saw a small tick in Cobb's features, only for it to correct itself at a moment's notice. Cobb's wicked smile never faded tough, even though the cold air of the room was torturous for him. "Go on then, grandson. Go on and pretend to be all the things that you are not. Brother. Son. _Hero._ It doesn't matter, because there is one simple truth that you can never escape. You are and always will be... _a monster._ "

Dick didn't react, except to look down at the hood in his hands. Before he could give it a second thought, he loosened his grip and allowed the hood to slide down to the floor. "Maybe you're right," Dick said, turning back to Cobb. Their yellow eyes never broke contact, even as Dick brought up his boot and slammed it back down on the hood, crushing the orange lenses adorning it. "But I'm not _your_ monster anymore."

The two stared each other down, like they were waiting for the other to make the first move. Eventually, Cobb was rewarded with the sight of Dick raising his glove to pull up a holographic keyboard and screen, which he immediately began to type on.

"What are you doing?"

Dick didn't bother to look up as he replied. "You said something to me once in the labyrinth. It was during my...what did you call it again? _Reeducation?_ You told me that pain was an excellent teacher. That everything you did was meant to ingrain your _lessons_ in my memory. I guess that's true to some extent. I'll never really be able to forget what happened. So if that's the case, I'll just have to make sure that what I've said here tonight is something you never forget. And what better way is there to ensure that then the way you taught me?"

Dick's words began to fade in at the end as the hiss of cold air entering the room suddenly got louder. Cobb turned back towards the vents to see even more cold mist seeping in than before. The temperature in the room was dropping rapidly.

He turned back to Dick with fury as he realized what was going on. His great grandson had hacked into their system!

"Like I said, I'm not going to kill you." Dick said as he finally looked back up at Cobb and put his arm down, causing the screen to fade. As he did so, a small triumphant smirk crossed his face. "But this won't be pleasant for you. Don't worry though. 'You'll be stronger because of the pain'." Dick said, parroting the Cobb's own words back at him. With one last glance, Dick turned on his heel and walked away from the cell.

"Goodbye William."

"I will escape from here! And I _will_ find you!" Cobb seethed on the other end of the glass as he pounded against it in vain. Soon, he was no longer able to do that as the cold intensified and his limbs seized up. Cobb fell to his knees, but kept his glare on Richard's back firm as he fell. "I will kill you! I _swear_ on my _soul_ I will kill you! _I swear it!_ You will never be rid of me! Nev-Hmph!"

Even though Dick had his back turned, he knew the abrupt cease in words was a result of the growing paralysis. Cobb wouldn't be able to move, but he would remain awake for all of it.

As Dick climbed out the window he came through and took back to swinging through Gotham to get back to the manor, his grin never faded.

* * *

**Bruce**

Bruce was beginning to regret his choice to ignore Leslie's advice ~~demands~~ for another week of bed rest. His chest ached with every breath he took, and he practically hobbled up from the medical wing to get into his study. The bruises around his face were beginning to heal, but as it stood he still looked like he lost a fight with a hurricane. It was worth it though. He would do it all again if it meant that Dick being home was the end result.

Bruce was currently sitting at a large ornate desk in his study. The window behind him was filling the otherwise unlit room with the morning sunlight. He was positioned as still as he could manage, trying not to further agitate his sensitive injuries. The chair was pulled as close to the desk as it would go so he wouldn't have to hunch his back. Both hands were folded together and his arms were laid out upon the large desk. In the corner of the oak furniture sat a lone newspaper that was neatly folded up to obscure the front page, but all of Bruce's attention was directed at the door in front of him.

He would deny from here to his grave that his foot was tapping beneath the desk with impatience. However, he was more than willing to admit how anxious he was about what was to come.

He had wanted to go straight up to Dick's bedroom to have this conversation, but when Alfred saw how he basically had to crawl up the stairs of the batcave, the butler put his foot down and dragged him into the study to sit down and rest. If nothing else, Bruce had managed to convince the Englishman to fetch Dick and bring him down to the study so that the two of them could at last have an overdue talk.

Bruce stayed in that position for only a few moments after Alfred left to go to Dick's room when a soft knock at the door startled Bruce out of said pose. "Come in."

Intellectually he knew that it was far too soon to be Dick knocking, but his mind jumped onto the possibility once he saw a head of black hair peek out through the crack in the door. His mouth went dry though when the body fully emerged to reveal Timothy Jackson Drake rather than Richard John Grayson.

"Hey Bruce." Tim said in an unsure voice. He seemed just as confused as to why he was there as Bruce was. Tim had actively avoided him ever since that initial encounter with Wally, where the young boy claimed that he simply wasn't going to deal with this. Something had clearly changed since he was now the one coming to Bruce instead of vice versa.

"Tim. I-" Bruce was cut off quickly. In hindsight, he had no idea what he would have said anyway.

"I won't be long. I overheard you asking Alfred to bring Dick down." Tim said hurriedly, as though this was something he wished to be done with as soon as he could. His impassive expression told a similar tale. "Look, I don't want you to get the wrong idea about this. I'm still upset with you, and what you did...if it were me, I would never forgive you. You're the luckiest man alive to have a son like Dick."

"But?" Bruce asked experimentally. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but it certainly sounded like Tim was leading up to something.

Tim sighed and looked down before bringing his gaze back up to meet Bruce's. Bruce wasn't sure, but he thought he saw something soften in his features.

" _But_ , I want to help Dick get better as soon as I can. And if I let this grudge match fester much longer, it certainly wouldn't help him. It means a lot to him that we all stick together."

"And so...?" Bruce lead the conversation again after Tim gave another lengthy pause.

Tim narrowed his eyes in annoyance at Bruce's prompting, but spoke anyway. " _And so_...well I'm not going to forgive you right away like he did. I'm not that good a person. But...but I'm willing to give this another shot if you are."

Bruce allowed another bout of relief to flood his chest at Tim's words. He knew that the mere opportunity to repair things was more than he could ask for, but he was not one to shy away from a gift simply because he did not deserve it. "Of course I am."

"Good." Tim nodded readily, but still fixed Bruce with an unreadable but still obviously negative look. "Like I said, I don't want you to get the wrong idea. Tim Drake will try to forgive Bruce Wayne. But Batman and Robin? That's over. I'm my own hero now, just like Dick is with Nightwing. I hope you can respect that."

Bruce had accepted a long time ago that Batman and Robin (or at least _this_ Robin) were done for. Something had been lost between them, and that wouldn't come back no matter how many apologies were aired. He could live with that. In fact, a part of him was proud of Tim for breaking off and finding his own way. It was a sad sort of pride though. Like watching a child grow up and having to accept that they no longer need you. Tim may still be a minor, but he was already one of the best men Bruce had ever had the pleasure of meeting.

But as was mostly the case, Bruce couldn't quite articulate these feelings to his son. He simply nodded in confirmation, and hoped that Tim understood the full weight of the gesture.

It seemed he did not as he turned back towards the door and made a move to open it. "Thanks. That's...that's really all I wanted to say. I have to finish some makeup work for school and then-"

"I love you."

Tim's back straightened and the door handle remained still in his grip. He turned around slowly to find Bruce looking at him with an almost pleading look, like he wanted those three simple words to capture so much more than just the usual meaning.

And Bruce truly had meant to put so much into that one declaration. How proud he was of Tim for finding the strength to evolve into his own hero. How grateful he was for this new opportunity to be the father he should have been to his boys. How much he needed the two of them in his life to keep the ever present darkness that surrounded Gotham from creeping into his heart and taking over. But more than anything, he just wanted Tim to know that the most basic meaning of those words were true as well. He wanted his son to know just how much he loved him, and how he was more scared of losing him than anything else. That he had already lost one son, and that he could never lose another or it would be the death of him. That even though he had started out as a mere placeholder for Jason in his life, he loved Tim _for who he was_.

As for Tim, those three words had more meaning to him than Bruce ever could have imagined.

Because his entire life, he had never heard them before.

That was perhaps an exaggeration. Dick always told Tim that he loved him, and Cassie had as well after they reached that point in their relationship. The more accurate statement would be that he had never heard it spoken with parental love.

Janet and Jack Drake had done many good things in their life. They hosted fund raisers, they supported numerous charities, and their philanthropy helped save lives. But they had never loved their son. They were good people in their own way, (at least, that's what Tim thought) but they just hadn't loved him.

Tim had loved them, as pathetic as it was. He had even told them as much in an effort to prompt them to repeat it, but they never did. When he first arrived at Wayne Manor and eventually fell into the favor of Dick and Alfred, he had absorbed their affection greedily. And on the day that Dick first told him he loved him, he had shamelessly burst into tears. _That_ had been the first time he heard the words spoken to him.

But Bruce was... _Bruce._ He was Batman! His approval was all Tim wanted for so long. Even more so than he wanted the love of his parents. The bond between Bats...it transcended mere relation through blood. It was so much stronger than that. You don't choose your blood family. But Bruce had most certainly chosen all of them.

A year ago, Tim would have broken down into tears and thrown himself at Bruce into a forceful hug if the man had simply said that he was _proud_ of Tim. But love? _Love?_

While Tim's brain continued to short circuit at the prospect, Bruce caught the disbelieving expression on his face and immediately went in to reassure him. "It's true. I love you. I love Dick. And I wish more than anything I could tell Jason how much I love him. I've known how I felt about all of you for a long time, and I shouldn't have waited for a tragedy to use as an excuse to finally say it. But I promise you, I'll spend the rest of my life showing you how much you both mean to me."

Tim's eyes widened with revelation. "Does...does this have to do with those papers I found in your desk?" He asked breathlessly.

Bruce nodded, not minding that Tim had been through his study. He was glad in fact. He had been waiting for the right moment to tell the boys, and now he no longer had to worry about how Tim felt. Tim was trying his best to disguise his sheer joy behind the mask of shock, but it did little to hold up against Bruce's investigating eyes.

Tim's mind and heart were going a mile a minute. He well and truly had no idea what to do. He had only come in to inform Bruce of his intent to try and start things over, and he was only going to for Dick's sake. He wasn't even going to look Bruce in the eye. And now something like this...

...perhaps it wasn't too late for them after all.

The two vigilante's almost didn't notice the soft knock at the door. "Come in, Dick." Bruce said.

Dick opened the door just enough for him to slip in. He seemed surprised to see Tim there, but that took a backseat to concern when he saw the starstruck look Tim had. "Timmy? Is something wrong?"

Tim looked at Dick like he was only just noticing the former Talon's presence in the room. He blinked a few times and looked back at Bruce before answering Dick, his voice shaking. "No. There's nothing wrong." Tim then turned to the now opened door and maneuvered around his brother to exit the study. "We'll talk later. And Bruce?" Tim asked, looking back to him with a small smile on his lips. "I love you too."

With that the younger disappeared behind the door and the older looked to Bruce. "What did I just interrupt?"

"Something I should have done a long time ago." Bruce said as he gestured for Dick to sit down in the chair in front of the desk. The acrobat did so without a moment's hesitation, crossing his legs after he was rested on the chair. Bruce smiled at that. "You seem to be doing much better than when you first came back to the manor."

Dick smiled at him, which only bolstered Bruce's belief in his own words. "Yeah. It's...different than it was before."

That was all Dick could really say to describe the situation. Different. He couldn't really say he felt better about everyone knowing what happened to him. A part of him certainly felt relieved that he no longer had to keep secrets from those close to him, but he couldn't quite say that he felt better with everyone knowing what he had done to Zucco in detail. So in the end it was neither better nor worse. Just different.

There was certainly one thing that had made this a much more positive experience than his previous return. "Bruce...thank you...for what you said to me."

Bruce, ever the detective, did not need more words than that. He knew that Dick was talking about Bruce's admission of love. Though to be honest that knowledge only made that twinge of guilt further pool within his chest. He shouldn't have waited so long to tell the boys how much he cared about them. He never meant to be indifferent to their needs by any means, it was just that he had always gone for an unspoken relationship, just like the one he had with the JLA members. Some, like Clark and Diana, were more friend than colleague. In fact, they were most certainly his friends. His best friends on this Earth. They had always been like an aunt and uncle to his various Robins, and his proteges even called them such on occasion. But that was no excuse. It was one thing to never clearly define a friendship. It was another thing entirely to neglect your children's emotional needs.

"I wish I had known that telling you I love you would put you in such a good way." Bruce said honestly. "I would have done it at the start."

Dick smiled his trolling grin, alerting Bruce to the fact that a quip was coming. "Well I wish I had known all it took to get you to say it was nearly beating you to death, cause I would have gone after you ages ago." Dick said with a wide toothy grin.

Bruce sighed, even as the corners of his lips raised. He was glad that Dick was doing well enough to make puns, but he was upset that the boy was dismissing the sentiment for humor. "I'm serious Dick. I really do love you with all my heart. I should have said it years ago, and I'm so sorry that I didn't."

Those words caused Dick to sober up and look at Bruce thoughtfully with furrowed brows. "Bruce, you don't have to-"

"Yes I do." Bruce interrupted. "I've known how I felt about you for a very long time Dick, and I shouldn't have sat on it the way I did. I was worried you might think I was trying to replace your father, and that's the last thing I wanted to do."

"Bruce, you could never replace my father."

That statement, no matter how true, caused Bruce to cringe slightly. Dick was quick to rectify his statement when he saw his guardian's response.

"I mean, I'll never stop loving my dad. But it's just like how Tim will never replace Jason. I love them both equally as my brothers, and I love them for who they are. You're never going to replace my genetic father, because you're also my dad in your own right."

That simple explanation caused the pain in Bruce's heart to subside with warmth. Something about it was just so elegant in its' tenderness, and Bruce was glad for it. The warmth in Bruce's heart only grew with Dick's next words.

Dick looked down to his feet, as though he were to embarrassed or ashamed to look at Bruce directly. "I'm sorry about what I said that night. In the mansion, I mean. It wasn't true. I don't know why I said it. I don't blame you for what happened in the Court. I don't hate you. I love you too. I really do."

Bruce took solace in those words. He knew logically that Dick's declaration of hatred had probably been uttered in the heat of the moment and carried no real truth to it, but it was nice to confirm it regardless.

"So..." Dick began as he turned to Bruce again. "What did you want to talk about?"

Bruce's manner changed to something more serious and in no small part upset. He reached for the newspaper on the corner of his desk. "There were a few things I wanted to discuss with you." He said as he unfolded the paper and turned it in his hands so Dick could see the front page. "This is the first."

Dick clenched his teeth and gripped the arms of the chair harder as he read the headline.

_~Unnamed Arkham prisoner frozen in mysteries cryogenics accident! Police suspect fowl play.~_

Vultures. In the back of Dick's mind he had to wonder how they were able to run the story so fast considering it had all happened last night. Did these people never sleep?

His thoughts were cut short as Bruce lowered the paper and fixed Dick with an unfamiliar look. Dick couldn't quite place what it was that he saw there, but he could clearly see that there was no judgement there. Dick sighed. Might as well get it out in the open.

"It was me."

He waited for Bruce to begin looking at him with an air of disappointment, but it never came. Instead he only nodded and said, "May I asked what took place?"

Dick was surprised, but not ungrateful for the lack of disenchantment. "I went to see Cobb in his cell last night. We talked. We had what, in his twisted mind, probably passes for a normal conversation."

"Why did you go there?" Bruce pressed.

Dick shrugged. "I don't really know. I guess...I just wanted to tell him off. Tell him to his face that I would never be the Talon he wanted me to be." He would tell Bruce the truth one day. He would tell him that he went there that night meaning to kill Cobb. But not right now. Not when those wounds were still so fresh.

"What did _he_ say to _you_?"

Dick scoffed. "Nothing worth repeating."

"And how did _this_ ," Bruce asked, pressing his index finger down on the picture of Cobb's frozen body. "become the end result?"

Dick crossed his arms and shrugged again. "He...look I'm not going to bother you with the things he said. But you can't possibly argue that he didn't deserve it."

"And I won't." Bruce affirmed. He then took the paper and tossed it into the waste basket beside his desk. "You hacked the coolant system?"

"I hacked the coolant system." Dick admitted with a shadow grin stretching across his face. (4)

Bruce looked over Dick thoughtfully. He could hardly blame Dick for his actions. Cobb had done far worse to him, and yet again, Dick showed restraint when he could have taken revenge. And being a Talon, and therefore essentially dead, Dick wouldn't have been violating his rule by exacting vengeance on Cobb. Even so, Bruce was glad he hadn't. Dick wasn't that type of person. Not yet anyway.

If what Bruce had learned about the physiology of Talons was correct, it would take Cobb months to thaw out. Maybe even a year given the conditions at Arkham.

But Bruce could not care less about William Cobb. He still needed to speak to Dick. And what he had to say next would most assuredly trample on his son's good mood.

Bruce gave him a long stare before he found the strength to begin. "There's something else Dick. It's about what happened between you and Zucco."

Dick froze, and Bruce could see his crossed arms quickly tighten around his torso as though in a protective stance. He slowly turned his eyes towards Bruce, the normally predatory glow of their yellow irises only emanating fear and vulnerability.

Bruce sighed, knowing full well that what he was about to say may very well make it worse. "I don't mean to hold you responsible for that. It wasn't your fault Dick. But there are certain circumstances surrounding it that need to be addressed."

Dick raised his legs up to the chair so that his knees were pressed against his arms, further curling in on himself. "Like...like what?"

Bruce had to fight tooth and nail to get past the lump in his throat in order to answer. "The League's knowledge of it, for one."

Dick choked and suddenly felt nauseous, just as he had when the Team told him they knew what he had done. His veins flooded with ice, and the world was sent spinning. Bruce quickly went in to reassure him.

"They don't know Dick! I swear, I won't tell them if that's what you want!" Bruce said in an effort to calm the boy down. It was only partially a lie on his part. Quite frankly, he would have avoided this whole thing entirely if it were an option. But Dick deserved to know what his place with the League was.

Dick had to breathe deeply a few times until the feeling of his stomach twisting inside him went down. But the feeling of unease was still very much there, and it wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Dick looked at Bruce, eyes pleading for reassurance. "They really don't know?"

Bruce wished desperately he could reassure the boy. For not the first time, he considered lying outright and saying that not a soul beyond he and the original members of the Team knew the truth, but there had been enough secrets between them. Bruce had to brace himself for what was to come before responding, "Many of them do not. But...Clark and Diana. We told them not long after you left."

The feelings of nausea returned with a vengeance. It felt like his innards were doing twists and turns within him, and the whole world began to tilt on its' axis. He lost his sense of balance, and suddenly found himself on the floor beside the chair. Dick couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard Bruce get up from his chair and scream, asking if he was okay. He could barley hear a thing as blood began to pound in his ears.

Stomach acid shot up his throat like a geyser. Dick placed a hand over his mouth and acted on reflex, somehow managing to get to his feet and dive towards the bathroom. He barely made it in before he dropped to his knees and heaved out a single long breath before vomiting into the toilet. He hadn't eaten in two months, so it was entirely bile. He continued to unload his stomach contents for several minutes until his throat was dry. He gagged fiercely in defiance, but there was nothing left to give.

Now that it was over, Dick realized he could feel a hand on his back. Someone trying to comfort him. He knew it was Bruce, but it didn't help him at all.

The stench in the room left by his stomach acid caused him to gag more as images flashed through his mind like broken projector. He could see Zucco. See what he had done to the man. See his insides spilling out as Dick sliced through layers of fat with his claws. And if he thought hard enough, he could distinctly remember _licking_ the blood off his claws-

Suddenly he was retching up into the toilet again. But instead of bile, it was a thick, black, oil-like substance that exited his mouth. Electrum. The only thing his body had left to give. Besides tears, which started not long after.

Dick's wails came hard as he continued to throw up, Bruce's presence doing nothing to comfort him. Oh God. Clark and Diana. Of all the people to see him like that. They were like his aunt and uncle. And they had seen-

Just approaching the thought caused the vomiting to increase.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed in that position. Dick, becoming physically ill at the mere thought of what he had done. Bruce, trying and failing at comforting his son. But eventually the hurling subsided, and the tears came fiercer now that there was nothing to drown them out. As he broke down, Bruce worked past his injures and gathered Dick up in his arms, taking note of how much lighter he was, and carried him back into the study. Rather than go back to the desk and chair, he set Dick down on the couch and took a spot next to him. He watched as Dick curled up on himself again, and placed a hand on his shoulder in another effort to comfort him.

Dick continued to cry relentlessly until a few words managed to break through the sobs. "Th-th-they s-s-saw. Th-they _saw_." He wept.

Bruce shook his head and gave the boy's shoulder a squeeze. "No, they didn't. We destroyed the footage Dick. No one is ever going to see it again. Everything Clark and Diana know is by word of mouth. And they're heartbroken that we didn't protect you, but they could never blame you for what happened. They love you kiddo."

Realistically, it had not been so tame. Tim and the Team had informed Clark and Diana without his knowledge, both of what Dick had done and of Bruce's own transgressions. He hadn't seen their initial reactions, but Diana had been ready to rip his throat out by the time he made it up to the Watchtower that day, and Clark hadn't been far behind her. He remained on shaky ground with them, and wasn't sure how he would go about mending those bonds. But that was for later.

Dick seemed to loosen up somewhat upon hearing that they had not witnessed what he had done, and though his tears came to a halt, his shaking didn't let up. That's when Bruce realized that it wasn't just guilt, but also fear of discovery that was causing Dick to react this way. He swept an arm around Dick and pulled him close to his chest, ignoring the sting that came from applying pressure to his ribs. Given time, he felt Dick begin to cease his quaking and calm down. He allowed another beat of peace before he did something he knew would erode it once again.

"No one else knows." Bruce reaffirmed. "No one. But I want you to talk to Dinah about it."

The moment he felt Dick cringe away from him and attempt to pull away from the embrace, Bruce strengthened his hold and went on.

"She won't tell anyone. You know that. And she won't blame you or judge you. But I need you to talk to her if we're ever going to work through this."

Dick seemed to cool off after his explanation, though he shook his head in defiance which elicited a small moan from the Dark Knight. He would revisit this later, after Dick had a proper amount of time to settle with the information he had just laid before him. Unfortunately, the rest of their conversation would not be able to wait.

"There's more." Bruce began. "Nothing bad, I swear. But I want you to promise that you'll listen to me and hear me out on everything before you let yourself react."

More silence, then a small ruffle of hair against the front of his shirt that he knew must have been Dick nodding yes. Accepting that was the closest thing he would get to a verbal confirmation, Bruce proceeded.

"While you were gone, I made a lot of arrangements regarding any legal matters that may arise from what happened in the Court. I put together evidence of what was done to you, as well as what happened to Zucco and the others. The tape was never involved, I swear. I was, however, able to put together a small legal proceeding that would normally be handled in a criminal court. It was the equivalent of a trial in absentia for heroes. The name Nightwing was never used though. You were listed as John Doe. Barbara's degree in criminal law certainly came in handy. She represented you as defense council. There was no jury involved. It was a bench trial. The only people who knew about it were those who had to be informed; a trusted judge, Barbara, Commissioner Gordon, and opposing counsel. You were pled not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and evidence of what happened to you was presented to the judge. The prosecution did not oppose. You were found not guilty of all charges because of the extenuating circumstances regarding what happened to you. You're free of that now Dick. It can never come back to hurt you. And I want you to know that I didn't do any of this in some contrived effort to preserve my rule on killing. I only wanted to make sure you stayed safe from this. And if your acquittal had been anything less than certain, I never would have allowed it to see the light of day."

Dick hung off every word Bruce said until he was finally finished, and another beat of silence passed over the room. Dick didn't really know what to make of it all. He was grateful to Bruce. He knew that much. He appreciated the sentiment of trying to tell him that even in the eyes of the court system, he had been cleared of all wrong doing. But it still just wasn't right. If the law said that what he had done was not a crime, then what the hell was it? It sure as hell didn't feel justifiable. And no matter what they had said about him, he could guarantee that they wouldn't be as understanding if they had seen the tape. And no matter what anyone told him about how they understood and forgave him, Dick would never be able to forgive himself. Not fully anyway.

"You should also know that Jack Haly has been taken into custody for his part in sending Talons to the Court. He pled guilty, and he'll be in prison for a very long time. You should know...he wanted to apologize to you. I know it doesn't mean much at this point, but I believe he truly meant it."

For some reason, Dick couldn't bring himself to care. Haly's apologies wouldn't undo what happened to him, or to his friend Raymond. His conviction wouldn't do anything either. In all honesty, Dick could have gone the rest of his life without hearing the name Jack Haly and died a happy man.

He stared ahead blankly, eyes unfocused on the wall even as Bruce shook him slightly to see if he was still awake. This wasn't the same unyielding sort of numbness he felt after he had beaten Bruce, but he still felt a lull inside of him that he wasn't ready to abandon yet when he knew that despair was what awaited him. But Bruce puts a stop to that with what he says next.

"There's one last thing." He said, and based on nothing more than his tone, Dick can tell Bruce wants to say it even less Dick would want to hear it. "I need to know what happened in the Labyrinth."

The wall of lull stayed firm and kept Dick from grasping his full meaning. "You already do know." He responded dully.

Bruce shook his head. "No. I know what happened between you and Zucco. I need to know what happened before that. I need to know what happened to you."

Dick froze like a deer in headlights. Suddenly he could feel the phantom pains of electric shocks on his body, and a cold feeling creep up his spine. Before he would allow anymore sensations from the Court's torture crawl across his skin, he shot up from his seat and whipped around to look at Bruce, who met his balked look with one of astonishment due to the sudden movement.

Dick was unsuccessful in keeping the tremor out of his voice as he asked, "Why would you want me to relive that?"

Bruce raised his hands in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "I only want to help you."

" _Help me_?" Dick repeated in disbelief. "Those were the worst days of my entire life. Everyday they made me think I was going to die. I was terrified, and I thought I would never see the people I loved ever again. You want me to go through that again-"

"Dick-" Bruce cut in before Dick went on regardless.

"-and you say it's to _help me_?"

Bruce's eyes softened at the rhetorical question and he made a motion to stand up, but Dick took steps back as he walked forward. Bruce sighs and scrubs a hand across his face as he goes back to the couch and sits back down, with Dick standing beside the couch opposite to him. "Believe me, I would never ask this if it weren't necessary. But I let this go for two whole months. I don't know how I can help you if you refuse to tell me what happened to you,and I want more than anything to help you Dick." He pleaded. "Please. I need to know what happened. I don't want you to suffer in silence anymore. We'll stop the moment you feel uncomfortable, and nothing you say will ever have to leave this room."

Dick seemed to study him, as though searching for confirmation that was Bruce was saying could be believed. Whatever he found, it must have worked. Dick slowly bowed his legs and allowed himself to sit on the couch before bringing them up to his chest and hugging his arms over them. This time it wasn't to curl in on himself. It was to guard him. Protect him from the outside world.

More silence. And then Dick finally spoke. When he did, a torrent of worry passed through Bruce.

"From stone to clay to perfection." Dick said, as though that configuration of words should have made sense by itself.

"What?" Bruce asked.

Dick took a long breath to prepare himself for the explanation to follow.

"It was their motto for making Talons what they are. The same way you make a statue. You start by getting the clay. Clay comes from minerals in the earth that have been worn down by water, and turned into a malleable substance. After that, you could mold it into whatever shape you wanted. That was the common scheme anyway.

"They started by wearing me down. The same way water carves through stone and eventually turns it into clay. I already told you and the Team how they started by making me fight Talons, but that didn't last long. After that, I was left alone. Completely alone in that huge Labyrinth. It was easy at first. I would try to mark every passage I took so I would know when I started to go in circles. But I had to sleep. And whenever I woke up, my marks were gone. It got harder after that. I tried to climb up the walls, but there some kind of electrified fence at the top. I nearly died trying to get up there. I didn't see any other option so I just kept looking for a way out through the maze. But after a while, it got harder to maintain my hope.

"They had these rooms in the maze filled with pictures of their victims. The ones that didn't die right away. The ones they took back to the Labyrinth to torment. (5) Each row showed one person, from one day to the next. Over time, you could see their minds were starting to wear away. They began to lose weight, and their hair turned white from fear. By the final photo, they weren't scared of dying anymore. They wanted it. Wanted to finally be free from the Court. I understood that. But I was different. I wasn't supposed to die. They had something worse planned for me.

"After stumbling around for a few more days, I found another room. It was a lot like the one I just described. It had a single camera in it and lots of photos. But these weren't the Courts victims. I mean...they were. Just not the ones they murdered. These all showed the Talons. How they started out as normal kids. But from photo to photo, you could see them becoming these...less than human things. They stopped smiling. The life was drained from their eyes. And on the final photo of each row, it showed them with yellow eyes and black veins. I even found Cobb's photo among them. Jesus Christ Bruce. In the beginning...he looked just like my dad. He looked like _me._ And that wasn't even the scariest part. There was one row that wasn't finished. _My_ row. I have no idea how they got those pictures without me noticing, but they did. And I realized that mine looked just like all the others. Beginning to wear away at my soul. The only one missing was the final photo of me becoming a Talon.

"The next room I found was the one where they keep the Talons. It has a bunch of red coffins just sitting there, waiting to be opened. It was so scary. Every single one of them had a Talon inside. It felt like I was in a lion's den, and any move I made could wake it up. I wanted to run in the other direction, but then I noticed something. One of the coffins. It was _opened_ , Bruce. Each one was marked with a photo of the Talon inside as a child. And the opened one had a picture I saw before, from the photo gallery. It was _Cobb's_. I couldn't see him, but Cobb was in the maze with me. I couldn't go to sleep after that. I was terrified that the moment I closed my eyes Cobb would come. Suddenly it was like he was hiding in every shadow, and around every corner.

"The fountain water was drugged. I think it was different from what they used to knock Kaldur out though, and it was different from my first time in the maze. My first time, I was doped with whatever they put in there and I passed out. Then I woke up in some random part of the maze and started walking. By the time I found the fountain again, I hadn't had anything to drink in days. I knew it was a bad idea, but I was just so thirsty. Maybe an hour after I drank it, I started to hallucinate. I saw my parents in the maze. Their bodies broken. And owls...they...they were...picking apart their bodies. I screamed and ran away, but then I saw something else. It was _Jason._ He was getting beaten to death with that crowbar right in front of me. I tried to run, but the visions just kept following me everywhere I went. I've been through Crane's fear toxin before, but somehow this was worse.

"But it didn't last forever. One day, by the grace of God, I found it. The exit. I started weeping right then and there. It was finally over. I could go home.

"They wanted me to think that so that they could tear it away.

"As soon as I made a move towards it, a knife hit me from behind. I knew who it was before he even came out of the shadows. Cobb. By that point, I hadn't eaten or slept in days. It was over before it started. The next thing I knew, I was bleeding out on the ground. But I wasn't afraid. I was still relieved. Even if I couldn't go home, it was still over. They could never hurt me again. That was the last thing I thought before it all goes black."

"Then...then..." Dick began to stumble over his words, almost as though he were embarrassed to admit what happened next. "I...I went somewhere Bruce. I died, and I went somewhere."

Bruce's brows furrowed and the detective in him took over, quick to explain any phenomena. "Dick, you had been starved, drugged, you were losing blood. It would make sense for you to experience some type of...other reality while you were unconscious."

His words, though said with the best of intentions, only antagonized Dick and caused him to get defensive. "No! This wasn't a dream and it wasn't a hallucination! I was _dead_ Bruce! Every Talon dies at some point! They flat line! It's all part of the process! That whole time that I said Dick Grayson died in that Labyrinth, it wasn't a fucking metaphor! _My heart stopped beating_!"

Dick was staring Bruce down with fire igniting in his yellow eyes as he yelled. It allowed him to watch as his tirade ended and Bruce's mouth began to open only to close it and look at him with wide, horrified eyes. Dick ignored that look and continued.

"I went somewhere Bruce. I...I saw things. Suddenly, I was at the circus. I woke up in the center ring. And my family-" Dick was cut off for a moment as an involuntary weep made it past his lips. "They were _there_. Oh God, they were there. They were all around me and they were smiling and they said they'd missed me, and they marveled at how much I grew. I didn't know what was going on, but I didn't _want_ to know. I was with them and they were with me and that was all that mattered.

"We went up to the trapeze and it was like a dream come true. We flew through the air and it was like they had never died at all. I couldn't stop smiling. I knew what it was by then. I knew I was dead. But I couldn't have cared less. I was happy. I was at peace.

"And then I felt something pull me down. It was like gravity doubled, and suddenly I was falling, and my parents were screaming after me.

"I woke up screaming my lungs out. It was the worst pain I'd ever felt. Like every cell in my body on fire all at once. I tried to breathe, but my lungs burned like I was taking in smoke. I was on some kind of metal table, but I rolled off and doubled over on the ground. I think I screamed for hours. Maybe a day. Sooner or later the pain was dim enough for me to move. But when I got up and looked around, I nearly went right back to screaming. There was a Talon in the room with me. I tried to run away, but the only door in the room was locked. I turned back to the Talon, but then I realized something awful. It wasn't a Talon. It was a _mirror_.

"I looked so different. I wanted to believe that it was just another hallucination, but it mimicked my every move. I didn't even recognize myself. And not just because I was a Talon. My hair was matted and caked with dirt and blood. I'd lost a lot of weight too. The uniform they put me in was baggy. And then there was the more obvious stuff. My skin was paler than should be possible. There was absolutely no color in my lips or cheeks. The changes are...a lot more apparent the first few days after a Talon is turned. I had black veins all over my face too. But the thing that got to me the most were my eyes. My mom's eyes were gone. The blue I inherited was gone. They were yellow now. And all I could think of was how much I looked like Cobb.

"I just stood there and stared for a while and I wanted desperately to believe that it was a dream. I don't know what caused it, but suddenly I put my fist through the mirror. A shard flew out and cut my arm. I put a hand up to it on reflex to stop the bleeding but...my blood. It was _black_. Before I was even done processing that I felt that burning again at the spot I'd been cut. Like my body was being burned alive from the inside out. It was the cut. It was already starting to heal. In less than a minute it was like it had never been there at all."

Before he could proceed with his story, Bruce stopped him, brows furrowed and eyes wide with horror. "Does...does it still hurt you like that? When you heal?"

Dick gave a hard swallow before nodding his head. "Every time."

Bruce looked like he had been punched in the gut, but Dick went on.

"Suddenly, I fell back. I couldn't _breath_. I couldn't _move_."

"A panic attack?" Bruce asked, unable to hide the tremor in his tone.

Dick shook his head this time, glistening eyes looking up to his father's.

"An _injection_. A dart hit me from behind. I think it was filled with liquid nitrogen. I...it was so _cold_. It was so cold and I-I couldn't move and-"

Dick's breathing became rapid and he raised a hand to his chest in an effort to calm himself down. It didn't work. Bruce made a motion to get up, but Dick sprang up from his seat at the movement and maneuvered his way around the couch so that it was now between them.

"Ow-Owls came in and they s-strapped me down to the ta-t-table and they started to give me injections and-and-Oh God! I thought I had been in that Labyrinth for _months_! They told me it had been less than two weeks! I-I couldn't fight Bruce! You have to believe me! I-I tried but I c-couldn't move and-and-"

He was hyperventilating now. Even the physiology of Talons required a small bit of breathing, and it was still dangerous to breathe so rapidly. Dick was about to fall, but Bruce was at his side in an instant, wrapping his arm around the ex-assassin's front while his other hand was placed flat against Dick's back. "You need to breathe Dick. Calm down. Take one deep breath with me."

Bruce demonstrated by taking in an excess of oxygen into his lungs. Dick mimicked his actions to the best of his abilities, but he was somewhere else.

"Good. Now again."

They repeated the simple act, at Dick felt some air manage to enter his lungs at last. He gasped like he had just come up from having his head held under water and began to breathe quickly. No longer hyperventilating, but still breathing faster than usual.

Bruce gathered the boy up in his arms and carried him back onto the couch and set him down in a resting position before taking a seat next to him, his hand remaining on Dick's back.

Bruce patted his back. "Let's stop now."

Dick suddenly gripped Bruce's wrist from the arm that was woven around him and gave it a tight squeeze before shaking his head in defiance.

"Dick, I still need to know what happened to you, but it can wait. I don't want to risk triggering you again."

"No." Dick gasped out. "I'm okay. I am. I just want to get this over with."

Bruce gave him a look, not fully believing Dick's words. "Okay. If that's what you want. But stop the moment you feel distressed. Okay?"

Dick nodded in confirmation before proceeding.

"I s-started training with Cobb not long after that. He was a brutal teacher, and he didn't seem to let the fact that I was his own flesh and blood get in the way of tormenting me. If he had been teaching me to swim and I couldn't, he would have let me drown. At first I refused to participate. He threw a sword towards me, but I wouldn't pick it up. That was the first time they locked me in cryosleep. I couldn't move. I couldn't even _scream_. They left me in there for a few days before letting me out. The next time, I was too scared to say no to the training again.

"I wasn't used to swords. They're a pretty big departure from bo staffs. Every time I got a stance wrong by having an arm or a leg as much as one millimetre out of its' proper position, Cobb would break the offending limb and have me try again before it finished healing. Eventually I got the hang of it. Enough so that they had me fighting other Talons anyway. I lost the first few times, and Cobb would...

"...he had this leather whip with a knife woven in at the end of it. It dug into my skin and took chunks out when he pulled it back. Eventually he got bored with that and started electrocuting me. After that there was this branding iron with an owl insignia on it. It didn't leave a scar, but healing it hurt just as badly as the burn itself. I would have a few minutes to recuperate before he sent me out to my next fight. Because of my healing, they were able to do all sorts of stuff without having to worry about long term damage. My eyes were ground out. My tongue was ripped out of my mouth. Every bone in my body was broken." Dick began to shake fiercely as he went on, and Bruce caught the catch in his voice that followed his explanation. "Being frozen was always the worst part though. It hurt so much. I could feel ice spreading over my skin, but no matter how cold it got I never died, and I never fell unconscious. Then..."

Dick bowed his head in shame and turned away from Bruce. "There's something you need to know. It wasn't just Zucco and those other four people. There were more."

Bruce looked alarmed, but Dick's next words set him at ease somewhat. "No one human. But...there were Talons. There were _so many_ Talons."

"I finally managed to win one of my fights. I disarmed my opponent, and he was laying on the ground with a shattered knee that was taking time to repair. The Owls were cheering, and at first I was actually sort of proud. But then I heard what it was they were cheering. 'Break him', 'tear him apart', 'hurt him _more_ '. I just stood there and looked at them, then I threw my sword to the ground. I refused to play their sick little games, even though that Talon wouldn't have had any problem doing the same stuff they were suggesting to me.

"Talons were all over me before anyone could blink. At first I thought they were just going to bring me to a different Talon to fight, but then I heard one of the Owls talking in the background. 'Put him in the cryochamber'. I freaked out, and my mind went blank. I somehow managed to break free of all the Talons, I got my sword off the ground, and I went after that Talon I just fought against. All I could think about was how painful it was to be forced into hibernation. I...I don't really remember what I did to him. But there was so much blood..."

"...there was so much blood..."

Dick began to shake again, and Bruce instinctively tightened his hold on his son. While it was true that Talons were the exception to his rule, and that killing them was not necessarily a crime, the human conscience and sense of morality were not equipped to deal with such a complex situation as killing someone who was already dead.

"We started training with different weapons after that. Throwing knives, scimitars, shuriken. I know it's cold comfort, but no guns. I promise. They were considered too loud and messy. Talons were supposed to be steadfast and silent. What happened with Gordon was an anomaly. They wanted it to be public.

"I think that went on for like a month, but it's like time moved differently there. Every day felt like it went on for an eternity. When they were satisfied that I was a good warrior, they wanted me to declare my loyalty to the Court. I sneered and told them to go to hell. You can imagine what it was like after that.

"They're pretty medieval in their tastes. Iron maidens, they put me on a rack, and they had this vat of water that-"

"I saw." Bruce cut in. Dick could tell by his tone of voice that he was on the brink of tears. "From the video. It was boiling, correct?"

Dick nodded. He could feel the phantom pain that their devices left on his skin as he relayed them in his mind. "I kept saying no. I thought the answer would always be no. But then..."

"Zucco?"

Dick nodded again. "And then Valerie after him. I can't really explain it, but I think I started to lose parts of myself after that. I started getting comfortable with it. All the violence and death. I stopped flinching whenever I killed a Talon. Suddenly, it was as easy as breathing. After that, Cobb...he started...taking me with him on assignments."

Bruce looked at Dick in alarm as he continued. "I never directly killed anyone outside the Labyrinth. But I would help Cobb when he did. I could have stopped him Bruce. I could have done something but...all I could think about was what they would do to me if I interfered. So I helped. I took out security cameras, I hacked into secure systems and got him information, I did whatever he asked of me. And now, innocent people are dead because of that."

Bruce lowered his head but kept his hold on the boy's shoulder strong. "How many?"

Dick flinched at how hollow Bruce's voice sounded, but answered anyway. "Five. Ten if we count the people in the Labyrinth."

Bruce nodded and looked at his son, who was still turned away from him. "Dick, none of that was-"

"I know!" Dick said as he suddenly stood up and broke off his guardian's hold on him. "I know that you think that I'm not responsible. That I'm not a monster. But it's not just the deaths in the Labyrinth, and not just the times I helped Cobb." Dick gave another shrill laugh in an attempt to cover up the tears forming in his eyes. "None of that is even the worst part. That night that you all found out about me. The night I was sent to assassinate Gordon. The night I nearly killed Superboy and Robin. I told you all that I only went along with it because I wanted to lead you back to the Court. That was a lie. I was going to do it. I was going to kill Gordon."

Bruce remained in a stunned silence, trying to wrap his head around Dick's words as he continued.

"It was just like all the other times I had been sent out. Except now Cobb wasn't looking over my shoulder. But that didn't change anything. I...I just knew that somehow, some way they would find me if I tried to run away. If I let Gordon live. If I did anything other than obey their orders. And when Conner and Tim found me and tried to stop me...it's not like my memories had been altered. I knew what I was doing. I knew that this was my brother and my friend that I was fighting. That I was close to killing. I didn't care. I was only thinking about myself. About what would happen if I failed my mission. I nearly killed three people close to me that night, and I didn't even care."

Dick continued to stand there with his arms folded around himself. He was shaking, like he was cold. Bruce knew that in truth it was fear driving his actions. The older could not blame him. After all, he had hardly given the boy the benefit of the doubt the last time he found out about what Dick had done for the Court.

Bruce got up, not caring in the least that this amount of moving was a clear and deliberate violation of Leslie's and Alfred's orders. But as soon as he got close, Dick retreated from him again. "Don't touch me."

Bruce wanted to weep at Dick's actions. The boy most likely thought Bruce wanted to punish him for what he did. "That wasn't your fault either Dick. Following their orders is a conditioned response. You're not the first person to suffer from Stockholm Syndrome."

"It wasn't like that!" Dick insisted. "I wasn't brainwashed. I knew what I was doing and I knew it was wrong. And I know it wasn't Stockholm either. I still hated the Court. I didn't trust them, and I didn't become comfortable with them. But I...I was just..."

"Afraid." Bruce finished for him. "I understand. Tim and Conner will understand too. And it sounds like it _was_ Stockholm Syndrome Dick. Having SS doesn't mean someone is ignorant to the law or to what's right and wrong, and despite popular opinion, it doesn't always mean a victim becomes affectionate with their captor. It can also mean that they become so terrified of their captors that they will comply with nearly every suggestion they make, and overtime find a sense of comfort and safety from that compliance. And despite that, you still did the right thing. You spared Gordon, even though you must have known that the Court would punish you for what you did."

"That wasn't planned. I just...when I..." Dick stammered and raised a hand to scrub over his face, words dying in his mouth.

"What is it?" Bruce pressed. "What caused you to stop?"

Dick sighed and took a seat back down on the couch opposite to Bruce, after which Bruce was finally able to sit down as well and relax his aching body. "It was...it was Babs." He answered. "I saw her through my scope when I was taking aim at Gordon and something just...clicked. And all I could think about was what it felt like when I saw my dad die and I realized I would be doing the same thing to her and...and...I..."

"I don't even know how to describe it. I was scared of the Court but I couldn't stop thinking about Babs and...it was all I could do to make the shot non-lethal."

Bruce nodded slowly, though his heart was chipped away by every word Dick spoke. "What about the Labrynth? When the League came to rescue you?"

Dick still didn't look up, but Bruce knew that if he did he would find guilt in his son's eyes. "My heart was pounding the entire time. When Cobb ordered me to kill the Team on his mark, I thought I might start screaming. It was like the Talon in me was revolting. I wanted to escape so badly, but every choice and move I made felt like I was walking through quick sand. Shaking off the Court's conditioning was like trying to saw off a limb. It was a part of me. It had been for months. I was so close to killing them. I...I..."

_I'm a monster._

"I understand." Bruce stressed again. "I've had to do horrible things when I was undercover as Matches. So did Kaldur during the deep cover mission. So did Artemis. I know it's not the same as being conditioned to do as you're ordered, but they'll understand too Dick. You went through something horrible and unforgivable. No one could ever hold you accountable after all that. They love you Dick, just like I do."

Dick nodded, but didn't look up as he lifted his hands to sweep the hair out of his face. It was still long and untamed from all his time in the Labyrinth.

It took some time after that for the stillness of the room to be broken again.

Dick had given Bruce a complete rundown of everything that happened. There was nothing else. Bruce knew everything from that point onward.

And now that everything that had to be said was aired, Dick was sitting down across from Bruce as still as a statue, still unable to bring himself to look up. When he finally did speak, Bruce's heart was broken anew.

"I wish I had stayed dead." He muttered, more to himself than anyone else. By that point, he no longer cared if Bruce heard him.

Bruce looked at him rightly terrified. "Don't say that!"

Dick's head snapped up, eyes wet with unshed tears. "I wish I'd stayed dead!"

Bruce's heart lurched and he pushed down the dull throbbing in his chest once more in order to get up and go over to the couch across from him. He sat down next to Dick and pulled him close again, which Dick neither resisted nor encouraged.

"Oh Dickie." He whispered into midnight locks. "We'll get through this. I promise you. We'll get through this." Even to his own ears, Bruce's words rang hollow.

The promise was neither a lie nor was it true. Bruce had never encountered a situation like this. His boys had been bludgeoned and beaten, but never traumatized. And trauma did not even begin to capture Dick's situation. Not only had he been scarred emotionally and mentally by what happened, the electrum that ran through his veins ensured that he had physical symptoms that would never go away. Bruce could not begin to imagine what that was like for Dick. Trapped between life and death. Unable to die, and unable to forget all his horrible mistakes.

No longer willing to keep his mind focused on such dread, Bruce's thoughts wondered to one particular event within Dick's story. Seeing his family. Being on the trapeze.

Logically, Bruce had known about the transformation of Talons. He had known that they were killed so that they could rise again as undead servants of the Court. But he had thought of it in such a clinical manner before applying it to Dick. The heart stopped. Brain functions ceased. The body stopped producing heat. The body went into rigor. Death. Plain and simple. He had never really given thought to what happened after that.

Despite being raised by an Englishman who was very devout, Bruce wasn't sure if he believed in God or heaven. After all if God did exist, then why allow the world to fall into chaos as it so often appeared to? Time and time again it seemed to fall onto himself and his fellow Leaguers to set things right when such events took place, and never once did he feel like there was any type of divine intervention helping them.

And yet...Dick sounded so certain that what he had experienced was real. Bruce liked to think that there might be some truth to it. He would have given anything to have seen Jason or his parents, if only one last time.

This also gave Bruce a new appreciation for Dick's pain. To have his family back, to have them say they loved him, and to believe he could finally be with them again once and for all, only to be dragged from the perfect reality he had been introduced to and discover that _this_ was his new reality. Being tormented relentlessly by the Court, and being trapped in a body that was no longer human.

Bruce knew that it must have been painful beyond words. And he also knew that he himself may not have been strong enough to survive something so awful.

"Can..." Dick began, snapping him from his musings. "Can I ask you something?"

Bruce looked down at him. Dick still had his eyes glued to the floor, and he made no effort to move. His voice sounded exhausted in every sense of the word.

"Of course." Bruce answered after a moment.

Dick looked like he didn't really want to ask anymore. Like he was afraid of an honest answer. But he somehow found the nerve to press on. "I just need to know. If you knew about me...about the Court and Cobb and where exactly it is that I came from...would you still have taken me in?"

Bruce needed a good full minute to think over his response. There had already been so much deceit between them. He owed Dick an honest answer, but he also owed the boy respect. "I can't speak for the man I was back then Dick. I was a very different person before you came into my life. But I pray I would have made the right choice."

Dick seemed to accept his answer and leaned into his touch, but Bruce stood up abruptly and caused Dick to pull back, retreating to his corner of the couch as Bruce walked back to his desk and opened one of the drawers.

"The right choice..." He repeated under his breath as he stared at something in the drawer. He hadn't meant for Dick to hear it, and he probably wouldn't have if not for his advanced hearing. Dick watched him intently as he reached down and pulled out a brown folder from his desk and thumbed through the pages in it, eager to see what Bruce was up to.

Meanwhile, Bruce was having his own internal conflict as he starred down at the papers in front of him. He had replayed this conversation with himself in his head a million times. That he had never meant to show favoritism to Jason. That he loved Dick, and though he wouldn't admit it out loud, loved him the most. That he never meant to make him feel neglected or unloved, but he had been so afraid that Dick would take it the wrong way. That he would consider it an insult to the memory of his parents. That he would feel incredibly conflicted with such a decision, and so Bruce may as well not submit the choice to him at all.

A list of arguments for and against what he was about to do. That's what it had always boiled down to. And one side generally beat the other and convinced him against it. The other had won momentarily for a time many years ago. It was when he had these papers drawn up in the first place. And now that side was winning again. He would do it. He would finally show Dick that he was so much more than a partner to Batman.

He was a son to Bruce.

"There's...something I've been meaning to do. It's...it's just a formality really. A gesture. I just..." Bruce said awkwardly as he walked back towards Dick. "I should have done this a long time ago. I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea, or think I was being disrespectful. It's...if you don't want to go through with this I'll understand, and I won't be hurt." He went on as he picked a single paper out of the folder and handed it to Dick, but the young man continued to look at Bruce with a raised brow as he took it. "It's just...it was the only way I could think of to let you know how much you mean to me."

Dick continued to fix Bruce with a questioning look before he finally looked down at the papers in his hand.

Immediately, his heart leapt into his throat. The small bit of breathing his transformed body still required came to a complete halt. He opened his mouth then closed it, and opened it again like a fish out of water. His eyes were wide and his limbs were stiff. No force on earth could have braced him for this.

Anticipation. Dread. Joy. No small amount of awe. All these emotions swirled together to form an invisible lump in Dick's throat. He didn't even know what to make of it. Bruce had said this was just a gesture. Dick was tempted to scoff at that thought.

A gesture? This was something he had thought over and wanted for _years_ , yet he never found the courage to ask Bruce for it directly. Besides, this was not something one asked for. It was always something Dick knew he would have to wait for. Wait for a time and a place where _Bruce_ was ready to take this step.

This was that time.

This was that place.

He looked over all the information on the form again, just to make sure he wasn't imagining it. He ended up doing it a third and a fourth time as well. The words on the paper remained the same.

_~Report of Adoption~_

_~Child's Name After Adoption: Richard John Grayson Wayne~_

_~Name of Father Present: Bruce Wayne~_

_~Witness: Alfred Pennyworth~_

Dick continued to read over it again and again, terrified that if he stopped, the words would fade away. Instead, he only found something else that made him feel like he would start laughing or crying or a combination of the two.

These papers weren't new. These were dated February 2005. A bit under a year after he had started living in the manor.

Dick had to close his mouth to keep himself from making any noise. Again, he had no way of knowing if what came out would be a whimper or a laugh. Regardless of which emotion caused them, Dick couldn't prevent the tears that slid down his face and landed on the papers in his grasp.

Bruce misread the tears and his face twisted in worry. "I'm sorry. This was a mistake. I shouldn't have imposed on you. You only just got back and-"

Bruce was cut off once again and his chest twisted in discomfort at the sudden contact as Dick launched himself at his guardian, wrapping his arms around him tightly and constricting Bruce's movements with his strong grip.

Bruce remained still for a moment before he allowed his worry to subside in favor of joy. He smiled lightly and placed a hand atop Dick's head. "I can have them submitted today if you want."

Dick nodded quickly, still afraid that he would begin to blend laughter and wailing if he opened his mouth. But he decided to risk it as he raised his head up to look his guardi-

His _father_ in the eye. "I love you." He whispered as tears poured freely down his cheeks and overlapped his beaming smile. He put his head back to rest against Bruce broad chest and let the fabric of his shirt soak up his tears. "I love you so much."

Bruce hugged him back and the two allowed each other to become completely enveloped by the warm embrace. "I love you too son."

What Dick said earlier melted away like ice. He didn't want to stay dead. At that moment, he couldn't be happier to be alive.

As Bruce continued to pull Dick tightly into his chest, his eyes drifted down to the folder that fell to the floor when Dick tackled him, as well as the additional paper inside of it. He looked forward to showing it to Tim later.

_~Report of Adoption~_

_~Child's Name After Adoption: Timothy Jackson Drake Wayne~_

_~Name of Father Present: Bruce Wayne~_

_~Witness: Alfred Pennyworth~_

* * *

**Dick**

_Five days later_

_Recognized: Nightwing B 01_

For some reason, Dick was glad that the Team didn't remove his Watchtower clearance. Despite his insistence on not being addressed as Nightwing since his return from the Court, the was something comforting in the familiarity of hearing that machine and the title it announced.

No one was in the main hanger, which made sense as it was really only used for mission debriefing. He'd probably find members of the Team in the lounge. Eager to see if his theory was correct, Dick made his way towards the lower levels of the Watchtower to head into the lounge.

Once there, he was greeted by several familiar faces. The entire Team, sans the original members. Some Leaguers were also present; including Dinah, Diana, Zatanna, Clark, Hal. All the people he felt like seeing.

The only people missing were the friends he had wronged the most.

No one seemed to notice him at first. Everyone was scattered about the room, broken off into various groups and spheres of conversation. Sooner or later though, Mal looked up from his conversation with Karen and Zatanna and went silent when his eyes landed on Dick. Both women asked what was wrong before they followed his line of sight and found saw the newcomer at the doorway, causing them both to go silent as well.

More people began to pick up on it, which caused their groups to notice as well. Realization spread through the room like wildfire and soon enough every eye in the room was focused intently on Dick. Before he could brace himself, everyone was swarming him. A ring was formed around him in a matter of moments and everyone was talking at once. It ranged from simple questions like 'are you okay' to ones with far more complicated answers such as 'where have you been'.

As it turned out the League and the Team were being kept in the dark on a lot more than Dick initially realized. Everyone knew about the Court of Owls. They all knew that Dick was no longer human, and they knew that the Court had subjected him to cruel trials meant to ensure his compliance. But, Besides the original members of the Team, Diana, Clark, Tim and Babs, not a soul knew what he had done in the Labyrinth, and no one knew the specifics of his torture. Moreover, they didn't even know about what he had been up to the past two months in Bludhaven. They, along with the public, had been told that Bruce sent him away to a private treatment facility.

Dick thought he would be overwhelmed when he made the choice to accept Kaldur's invitation to the Watchtower. For many of the people present, this was his first time seeing them since he took a leave from the Team nearly a year ago. The others he had only seen briefly when he came to the Watchtower to resign. And yet, he only found comfort from everyone's sudden presence. It was the most safe and stable setting he had been a part of in months in fact.

Dick smiled sheepishly. He had forgotten that everyone cared about him so much, despite his mistakes. He had forgotten how nice it felt to have friends. "Everyone, please. I'm _fine_." He assured.

Zatanna narrowed her eyes on him in annoyance and crossed her arms. " _Are you_?"

Dick mentally cursed. The time they had spent dating gave Zatanna some insight into reading his tells. "No." He admitted to his ex-girlfriend. "I'm getting there though."

Zatanna smiled lightly, sensing that it was the truth. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted when a head of blonde hair pushed its' way through the small crowd that had formed around him. "Do you know how worried we all were?" Cassie asked with something caught between worry and displeasure in her eyes. "Tim's been worried sick about you for _weeks_! And none of us even knew what was going on. Did you get hurt while you were at that treatment center or something?"

Dick smiled sadly. "Or something." He replied easily. "It's really hard to explain. But I really need to thank you. Tim told me all about how much you've helped him these last few months. Thank you so much for looking out for him."

His brother's girlfriend grinned back at his praise, and Dick could see many of those present begin to smile. He didn't want them to get the wrong idea from this. He wasn't fully back to his old self. He wasn't sure if that would happen any time soon. But he was glad he could reassure them.

Dick turned to some of the other familiar faces in the crowd. The sight of one in particular made him mentally groan as he remembered the promise he made to Tim and Bruce some days prior. He had done it at the time for no greater reason than to get them off his back, and he certainly didn't want to do this in a public form. But he made a promise regardless, and he wasn't one to go back on his word.

Dick turned his whole body so as to properly face Black Canary. "Hey Dinah. I was wondering...well...could you and I talk. I mean like...later and in private. I made a promise to Batman and Robin that I would try to work through this and...I could use your help."

The entire room looked at Dick as though he had grown a second head. Was this real? Had a _Bat_ really just asked another person for their _help_? _Psychological help?_ Bats were notoriously self-reliant creatures. Even though no one could argue his point and it was as clear as day that anyone would need no small amount of counseling after what he had been through, the largest shock was that Batman had not only allowed it, but actually encouraged it.

Even though Nightwing's identity was revealed to the rest of the Team during the initial search for him, Batman's was still a well kept secret. Some people suspected that his being Dick Grayson meant Bruce Wayne would be Batman, but nothing was ever confirmed. All they ever directly knew about the man was what they had seen as Batman, and he did not seem like one to allow his proteges to open up.

Dinah was perhaps the only one who didn't react with awe to his request. She seemed more than a bit pleased that he came to her in fact. She smiled softly at him. "Of course. When would you be willing to start?"

Dick shrugged as he pondered the though briefly. "Next week?"

"Absolutely." Dinah said, smile and eyes bright. Dick felt a twinge in his gut. She seemed very enthusiastic about helping him, and he didn't look forward to telling her the truth about what he had done. She thought him some damaged innocent that the cruel world they lived in tried to destroy. He was going to shatter that illusion. To keep his mind of the dread that the thought of it evoked, he chose to focus on the reason why he came in the first place.

"Kaldur called me." He blurted out, earning him a look from most of his fellow heroes due to the sudden shift in topic. "He asked if I could meet up with him and the others. Do you know where they are?"

"They're down in the lower levels sparring." Someone answered, but Dick was so invested on keeping his mind off his upcoming session with Dinah to notice who.

Dick nodded and made a move to head towards the training room, which caused the group around him to disperse just enough to let him pass. He chose to drown out the whispers that followed as he exited the room. He caught one or two by accident though. Something about how it was good to see him doing so well, and that whatever treatment center Bruce sent him to worked wonders.

Dick sighed as he continued walking. He certainly acknowledged that he was doing better. He just wished the transition had come as innocently as they all believed it had.

The original Boy Wonder found his way to the training room not long after. Conner and Kaldur were on the sparring mat, exchanging well placed hits and maneuvering about their opponents. Out of the corner of his eyes Dick could make out Artemis and M'gann as well, sorting through what appeared to be a bridal magazine. Dick chuckled. That was such a M'gann thing to do.

His chuckle must have been louder than he initially realized, because everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and turned towards the door.

Suddenly, it was like the room was ten degrees colder.

No one moved. They all just kept staring at him, as though they didn't know what to expect.

Dick suddenly realized what an awful idea this had been. The last time he saw any of these people, he had been trying to commit murder right in front of their eyes. And here he was, a bit over two weeks later, a changed man who was back to laughing at their antics as he had done when they were children. That was a large pill to swallow. He had expected Kaldur, being the one who invited him, to have been at least somewhat prepared for his rather abrupt arrival. But he seemed just as bewildered as the rest of them.

Dick cringed slightly when he realized what this meant. He was the one who would have to break the ice. He hated that. Normally as the Bats went he was on the A list to handle any type of social situation. Not to say that the others were socially awkward. On the contrary, Bruce was incredibly charming and the world's best actor. He had to be to maintain the 'Brucie' persona. Tim and Babs were both very sociable as well. But Dick was apparently the one with charm who could sway any perp, male or female, or reveal top class information about the crime lord they worked for over a round of drinks.

This was something else though. These were people he cared about. People he had hurt.

He had already wronged them so much in so many ways. He had tried to kill Conner, allowed the entire Team to hate Kaldur while he was undercover, let M'gann believe her best friend was dead, and had put Artemis in a choke hold until she passed out. Babs was different. She was easy to talk to. It was what allowed them to become friends in the first place. More to the point, it had been one on one. It was another matter entirely to apologize for him mistakes in this group setting.

Dick had to suppress a groan. No one was talking still. Best to get on with it.

"I'm sorry." He began. "All I can say is that I'm sorry. None of you deserve what I've put you through. I don't expect you to-"

The start what would have been a long apology was put to a stop when Superboy groaned indignantly, as though he were uncomfortable hearing it. "Please tell me we're not going to start up the typical Grayson 'everything is my fault' speech."

Dick's eyes widened and he looked to the clone incredulously. "What are you-"

"Dick." M'gann started, getting up from the side bench she had been sitting on and slipping the magazine onto it as she did so. "We're not mad. We've been scared out of our minds. The last time we saw you, you had a complete emotional breakdown and we haven't heard anything from you since."

It took Dick off guard. He was well aware of the fact that he had inadvertently broken down crying in front of them at the Judge's mansion. He just wasn't expecting it to be as concerning to them as it clearly was. "Well...yeah but-"

Again someone interrupted him. "The last time you went radio silent on us, it ended with you running away." Artemis reminded. "If Wally hadn't gone over and assured us all that you were okay, we probably would have ended up storming Wayne Manor."

Dick was still giving them that look like they had all lost their minds. All they had done was express worry and concern over him. Had they forgotten that this was the same person that had trapped them all with Apokolips technology and all but forced them to watch as he tried to kill someone?

"Why aren't you angry?" He asked in genuine shock. Barbara and Wally were his best friends. Tim and Bruce were his family. Their forgiveness had not been unexpected. He didn't mean to downplay his relationship with the Team, but he simply couldn't comprehend how everything he had put them through was so easily looked over, and how everyone was acting as though the slate had already been wiped clean.

Everyone gave him that same look he had given them. It was Kaldur who eventually voiced the agreement that had apparently been reached between them in his absence.

"My friend." He began, his voice soothing. "I'm not going to bother reminding you that no one blames you for what happened in either the Court nor the Invasion. Nor will I remind you that what you were forced to do is not your fault. However, it seems I must remind you that we are your friends. We will always be there for each other. Through good times as well as bad. And we will never give up on our own."

Dick blinked at him. He opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't speak. What Kaldur just said...it was...

Every word of it made so much sense. He could easily see it being applied to a conversation with another teammate who made a mistake and was being hard on themselves. But for some reason, his psyche just didn't want to match up those facts with his own situation.

Roy had said something similar to him during their talk. That if it had been someone else that went through what he did, he would have been the first one to forgive and defend them. But something he found was that it was far easier to forgive others than it was yourself.

Dick had to wonder if this was what Bruce felt when he thought back on how he had treated Dick. That Dick's own transgressions could be forgiven, but his own were irrevocable atrocities.

Dick had already made promises to his friends and family that he would try to get better. If he was ever going to accomplish that, then maybe it was time he tried to forgive himself as everyone else already had.

Back to the situation at hand, everyone was looking at him with anticipation, waiting to see if he would accept Kaldur's words or not. He moved past the inability to speak and quietly cleared his throat before he gave the long awaited response. "Everyone...I..." He began, but found himself at a lose for words again. "I don't know what to say."

"Say that you're going to stop being an idiot and forgive yourself." Artemis said bluntly, as though she had been reading his mind. It occurred to Dick that M'gann very well could been hosting a psychic conversation about him as they awaited his answer, and possibly even listened in on his stray thoughts. He didn't really mind that at the moment.

"I promise to stop being an idiot, and I'll try to forgive myself." He said, repeating the words as best he could. He could make no promises regarding being able to forgive his own crimes. He could promise with utter surety, though, that he would try.

Everyone seemed to relax upon hearing his declaration and loosened up a bit. It looked like Kaldur was about to say something when Dick felt a rush of air pass him by which blew his hair about in the process, followed by a red streak rushing past his eyes before settling in the center of the room.

"Well? Whad'ya think?" The red clad newcomer asked. Everyone seemed to marvel at him for a moment, and he heard Conner say something along the lines of congratulations, but his mind was somewhere else as he examine the newcomer with a fine tooth comb. His back was turned to Dick, so he couldn't see this heroes face and only had the suit to examine.

His immediate thought was Barry simply given that the suit in question was awash with scarlet and also had lightning bolt headpieces that adorned the sides of his mask around the temple. But Dick quickly realized that though immediately similar, this suit was not an exact replica. The headpieces were silver rather than Barry's gold. It also had similar lightning bolt emblems around the ankles and waist. Moreover, the top of the mask, which was usually closed up in a manner similar to Batman's cowl, was opened up to reveal...

... _red hair_.

Dick finally tuned in on the thanks the newcomer was giving Conner for the earlier compliment. Now able to hear and recognize his voice, Dick gawked. " _Wally_?" He asked, unsure. His suspicions were confirmed the New Flash turned around to show off a proud silver bolt of lightning sigil on his chest and green eyes shown through his mask.

"S'up Dick?"

Dick chortled at how nonchalant Wally was acting. This was totally chalant! "What is this?" He asked with an easy smile blooming on his face as he gestured to the suit.

"My new look." Wally said. Dick glared in annoyance. At this point, he was pretty sure Wally was being intentionally vague. "What do you think? Pretty great huh?"

Dick chose to ignore the questions bursting in his mind and was actually about to give an honest answer when he heard a groan and familiar voice from behind him. "Please don't compliment him. He just spent the last half hour admiring himself in the mirror. If his ego gets any bigger, it won't be able to fit inside the Watchtower."

Dick giggled at the joke as he turned to face Roy, who was leaning against the door frame behind him. "Am I ever going to get an answer as to why he's wearing that?"

"Technically you never asked." Wally chided. "And even though you didn't, I'll tell you. Barry is retiring to take care of the twins. And because of that, someone had to step up to take his place. That's right. You people are looking at the new and improved Flash."

Wally then did a dramatic pose with his hands on his hips, and everyone in the room couldn't help but sneak a laugh at his tomfoolery, and Dick ever the troll had to take advantage of it. "That's too bad. I really liked you as...as...what were you called again? Flash Boy?"

Everyone broke down into more laughter and Wally looked positively mortified at the use of his old and hated nickname. He glared at Dick through his mask. "First that photo, and now this? Why do you hate me?"

"Oh! I almost forgot about that picture!" Artemis said, looking overjoyed. She got up from her seat and walked up next to Wally, but looked at Dick as she spoke. "That was _amazing_ Dick. Seriously, you don't even have to buy me a wedding present."

Dick's smile stayed firm and brightened a bit as Wally gave his fiance a look a betrayal. "You're probably the only person on Earth to insist that the son of a billionaire shouldn't spend money on them, but have it your way."

Infectious joy and laughter spread across the training room not only because of the banter, but because they could now confirm with their own eyes what Wally had told them. Dick was back to his old self. Suddenly it was like the previous year never took place. There wasn't any deception during the Invasion. There wasn't any torture by the Court of Owls. There was no guilt ridden revenge plot that nearly undid Dick completely.

They were just a group of friends again. And that was all that mattered.

They continued to talk like that with each other for some time. It could have been an hour or two for all Dick knew, as no one was really bothering to keep track of time. No one really wanted to. They could have gone on like that forever. But sooner or later, Dick asked a question that had been pressing on his mind.

"Hey Roy?" He called. "Not to be rude, but what are you doing here? I thought you were retiring to take care of Lian."

The various conversations within the room began to calm down. It was not an uncomfortable silence, but everyone looked like they had just remembered something they had since forgotten. Roy looked over Dick's shoulder and over to Kaldur. "You didn't tell him?"

Dick turned and fixed Kaldur with a confused look. "Didn't tell me what?"

"I didn't mean it as a way of keeping secrets from you," Kaldur assured in his ever solemn voice. "I simply lost my train of thought when we began talking. The reason Roy is here is because even though he will be retiring after its' completion, he has a mission for us."

"Oh?" Dick asked.

"Nothing too big." Roy said. "Drug deal in Star City. No fighting or anything. Just need to snap a few photos and turn it over to the authorities."

Dick nodded. That certainly _sounded_ harmless enough, but it didn't explain the need for the tense silence after he asked about it. "What's the catch?"

Roy looked down at his feet and shuffled awkwardly where he stood. He looked like the kid who was embarrassed to ask a girl out to prom. Kaldur stepped in and freed Roy from his awkward position though.

"We, the whole Team I mean," Kaldur began, sounding a bit unsure himself. "We were hoping that you would accompany us."

Yellow eyes flashed as they widened to resemble those of an owl. He was sure for a moment that he had misheard the Atlantean. It was one thing to forgive him for his behavior, but to do both that and ask to work with him again?

Dick simply wasn't sure if that was a good idea. They could forgive him at their own leisure, but he had still only just began to recover, and hadn't even spoken to Dinah yet. They had no idea what might trigger him. As it stood, they were in uncharted waters. It wasn't a good idea to have him out on the field yet. "Kaldur...I-"

"Just hear us out." Wally said. "It's only covert. No fighting involved whatsoever-"

"I would remind you that the worst fights we've been in took place during covert missions." Dick added, but stopped when he saw Wally's downtrodden frown. This was clearly something that was important to his best friend, if he was willing to give up his moment in the spotlight as the New Flash just to cast some illumination on this particular topic. "Sorry. Keep going."

"It's tomorrow night." Roy picked up. "And come on. No one's more stealthy than you. Even Bats has got nothing on you."

"First, that's an exaggeration. Second, I left the Team, remember?"

"So did I." Wally reminded. "That doesn't mean anything though. Nothing is set in stone. And we're not asking you to hop right back in. Just baby steps. One covert mission. No fighting. What could be better for easing back into the life?"

"What if I just don't want back into the life?" Dick countered. Not only was it a lie, it actually physically hurt to say.

Wally gave him an unimpressed look. "Well, then I would understand and support that. But the thing is, you do. I know it, you know it."

Dick let out an exhausted sigh. He didn't really have the energy to continue this argument for much longer. Especially considering Wally was right. "I don't know..."

"Just this once. See how it feels. Then you'll be in a good position to make up your mind on whether or not you want to come back."

Damn Wally West when he actually had a valid argument. Dick let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. This was clearly something that was important to them, and after all he had done to them as of late he certainly owed them. More to the point, if there was no conflict involved whatsoever and it remained an innocent recon mission, then the chances of him being triggered by something were slim to none. "Just this once. We'll see how it goes from there."

"Great!" Wally exclaimed,fist pumping the air. "That's awesome. I'll see you all there."

Roy snickered from the doorway. "You ain't coming West."

Wally looked at his longtime friend dejectedly, enthusiasm draining away quickly. "Why not?"

Dick laughed at Wally's ignorance, breaking through strain of anxiety that had been built up during their brief debate. "In that getup? You'll be like a neon sign! Plus, stealth isn't really your strong suit." Dick chastised playfully. "Walls, if we bring you it'll be a total disaster! Heavy on the dis!"

No one commented on how wonderful it was to see Dick butchering the language again, nor could they argue his point. Wally's shoulders slumped. "Alright, alright. Can I at least send Bart in my place?"

"A kid in bright yellow spandex who can't stop talking to save his life?" Roy asked for clarity. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea for a covert mission."

"Hey! He's improving on his stealth!"

"With all the speed of a glacier."

Wally growled and Dick sniggered again while Roy waved to the Team. "I've got to go. Jade is heading out soon and someone needs to watch Lian. I'll see you all tomorrow, except for you." He said, pointing at Wally which caused the ensuing glare to intensify. Roy paid him no mind and walked away without ceremony.

Dick turned back to Kaldur while his enhanced hearing picked up on a few less than kind words that Wally was grumbling under his breath. "So it'll be all of us then? Everyone in the room I mean?"

Kaldur smiled at him as he went over to the holo-terminal. "Not quite. There's another member of the Team that will be running point for us. I insisted that she take a few more days to recuperate, but she's made up her mind. Apparently, you said something to reignite her spirit."

Realization passed over Dick like a wave as he heard Kaldur out, understanding right away who he meant. "Batgirl?"

At that moment, a holographic screen popped up on the terminal with a familiar face on it. Babs. She was no longer in the hospital. Dick could tell by the background that she was in her apartment again. She was also wearing a pair of glasses he hadn't seen on her since Gotham Academy. But beyond her physical appearance, he could tell that there was something else of note that had changed in her. Kaldur had been right. He flame was back. She was smiling at them and Dick could clearly see that the force of nature that was Barbara Gordon had returned.

"Not Batgirl." She said over the comm. "Oracle."

Dick's smile widened at the name and the hidden meaning behind it. Leave it to Barbara Gordon of all people to take a misfortune like hers with a grain of salt and push forward. And not only push forward, but become stronger by the end of it. He had no doubt that she would continue on this path, and surpass everything she had done as Batgirl.

He was glad he had been able to do something right for a change by helping a friend in need.

And speaking of helping friends in need...

Dick looked between Babs and Kaldur rapidly as he remembered something he had left to do. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I have to talk to Roy. I'll be back for the mission tomorrow I swear." He said as he turned on his heel. He was already getting a combination of strange looks from his teammates, but he didn't care. He hoped Roy hadn't left just yet.

As he raced through the Watchtower, he was glad to see Roy still in front of the Zeta Tubes just about to head out. "Roy! Wait up!"

The redheaded archer turned to face him as he slowed down and came to a halt in front of him. "Yea Dick? What's up?"

"It's...well I get that it's a topic you'd probably want to avoid but..." Dick said, stumbling over his words. Perhaps this was a bad idea. After all, he wouldn't want someone else to be so cavalier in his own experiences with death. It was probably just as delicate a topic for Roy as it was for Dick. But Roy had stood by him and never given up on him, regardless of the things he had done. He had even told Dick about his own brush with breaking the taboo on killing in an effort to help him. He needed to say.

Dick swallowed before continuing. "I never thanked you properly for telling me about what happened to you. I know that couldn't have been easy, but you still did it for me. I'm lucky to have a friend like you Roy."

To his surprise, Roy didn't seem to mind him bringing it up. In fact, he looked more troubled about Dick thanking him than anything else. It wasn't until Roy spoke up that he understood why. "You are something else kid." His features softened before he spoke, but he still seemed somewhat frustrated. As though Dick were missing the point. "You don't ever have to thank me for that. That's just the way it is. That's the way its always been. You, me, and Wally. We're best friends. One of us is in trouble, the other two drop what their doing and help anyway they can. That's what you two did for me when I was a mess. It's not your fault that I didn't listen."

Dick was fairly certain that this was the first time he had ever heard Roy call them his best friends out loud for all the world to hear. He would be sure to hack into the Watchtower security system later on to get footage of this.

It occurred to Dick that he more than likely had underestimated his friends, and even taken them for granted. There were very few people in the world that would strive as they had to understand what he did and why he did it. Fewer still that would want to associate with someone like him, let alone continue to be his friend.

It was comforting. Comforting beyond words even. He would have liked to try and convey to Roy just how much that single statement meant to him, and how despite Roy's claims that there was no need to thank him, Dick very much doubted he would be in a position to talk so freely to his family about what he had been through if it hadn't been for Roy taking the first step. He wanted to...

But right now, he had to get back home. Alfred had imposed another curfew on him, and he was not ashamed to admit that their butler could be more terrifying than Batman.

More to the point, Dick had no way of knowing how he would convey his gratitude to Roy. The older man had already stated outright that he didn't need nor want his thanks. With that in mind, he simply decided that he would find a better time to bring it up, and give Roy the thanks that he deserved.

Dick walked over to the terminal and punched in the coordinates for Gotham City before turning back to Roy with a broad smile. Despite the earlier statement that there was no cause to thank him, Dick did it anyway out of reflex. "Thank you Roy. I'll see you tomorrow."

 _Recognized:_ _Nightwing B 01_

With a flash of gold light, Dick was gone. And once he was, more wind tumbled violently through the air as Wally sped up behind him.

"Is the plan still a go?"

Roy smirked back at him. This was something the two of them had been planning in collaboration with Tim and Bruce for some time. Something to help give Dick a gentle if somewhat forceful push back to Nightwing. Realistically, he could have taken down the dealers in Star City in a heartbeat without backup. This was solely for Dick's sake.

"Yeah. We're ready to go."

* * *

_The next night_

Dick was on the verge of going spastic as he continued to tear his room apart. He had already torn out a floor board and undone all of Alfred's hard work to maintain some sense of cleanliness in his room by tossing the sheets of his bed about.

He wasn't panicking though. Bats never panicked.

He had been preparing for the covert mission with the Team and was just about ready to go. There was only one thing missing. It was both the simplest, but at the same time the most crucial piece of equipment in any vigilante's arsenal. A mask.

That in and of itself was not too much to worry about. Even though he had smashed the Talon's mask in front of Cobb, he could simply borrow one from Tim. He was sure his little brother wouldn't mind. He had been quite adamant in his attendance on the mission in fact.

The problem was the rest of his uniform, or lack thereof. His Talon equipment was gone. He had pulled out the floorboard he kept it hidden in and found it missing. He searched the rest of his room high and low in an effort to find it, desperately hoping that he had simply placed it somewhere else and forgotten about it. Because if that wasn't the case, it meant someone else removed it. Which in turn meant that someone in the manor knew he had kept it.

So maybe he was lying to himself. Maybe he was panicking.

In retrospect, he was much more surprised than he should have been. He lived with the two greatest detectives in the world, and _Alfred Pennyworth_. How long could he have actually kept that a secret, especially when Alfred had seen him leave the manor in that gear.

Eventually giving up on his futile search, Dick decided that there was only one option left, and it was one that he dreaded. He would have to _ask_ where it was.

It wasn't that concerning on its' face. One of them must have known to have taken it in the first place. And if one of them knew, all of them knew. He wouldn't be breaking bad news to anyone. He just didn't want them to get the wrong idea.

He didn't _want_ to wear the uniform. He _hated_ it. The black fabric burned his skin with hated memories of a time he'd sooner forget. But it was all he had. The Owls had burned his Nightwing suit in front of him a long time ago. And while he had considered making a new one, he didn't have the time for that tonight.

Deciding that it was best to get it over with, regardless of what his family might think of him by the end of it, Dick got up and went downstairs.

Everyone was in the main room. It seemed ordinary enough to the untrained eye. Tim and Bruce were sitting at the fireplace, drinking coffee and reading books in their laps like mirror images of each other. Alfred was lightly dusting the mantelpiece. And all of them had their eyes averted from the staircase even though they had clearly heard him come down.

Dick felt irritation fester in his chest as he realized what was going on. They did this on purpose. They were waiting for him. Bruce and Tim weren't even reading the books they had, and that mantelpiece was damn near spotless already. This was a setup.

Refusing to stand around and wait for one of them to make the first move, Dick marched in front of them and stood in front of the fireplace with his arms crossed. "Where is it?"

Tim was the first to address him, looking up from his book with the most innocent and clearly transparent smile Dick had ever seen. "Where's what?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, so where is it?" Dick said, already beginning to lose his patience.

Bruce set down his mug of coffee and kept his gaze firmly in place on a set of words he was only partially reading. "It's right behind you Dick."

Dick raised a brow in a look that Bruce still didn't look up to meet. There was nothing behind him expect the mantelpiece and-

Dick's eyes widened as he realized the implication of Bruce's statement. They wouldn't.

Dick whipped around to look into the fire.

They would.

It was hard to make out past the flames and burnt wood, but he could most definitely see what appeared to be the partially burned remnants of black cloth halfway buried beneath the ash that laid at the bottom of the hearth. Dick sighed and raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He could hardly mourn that accursed uniform the way he did his Nightwing suit. The fact that they were both burned was a poetic sense of justice that did not escape him. But it still left him at an impasse.

"Tim," He began, lazily casting his eyes on his younger brother, who far to pleased with Dick's reaction. "I assume this was your idea."

"Yep." Tim replied, popping the 'p'. Was this what it was like for others when Dick trolled them?

"I see." He said, looking back into the fire to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He could understand Tim doing something so juvenile, no matter how mature he was when wearing the mask. He was still only fifteen after all. What did come as a shock was that Bruce and Alfred were so happy to go along with it.

As he continued to look, it occurred to Dick that there was no metal in the fire. "Do I dare ask what happened to the claws?"

"They've been dismantled and destroyed, Master Dick." Alfred said as he returned to the room with a tray of sandwiches and tea.

Dick looked back to them with a blank stare, not able to decide if he should be happy that the uniform of the Court was now ashes and dust, or upset over the fact that they had done this behind his back when he still had need of it. "I needed that uniform. I don't have anything else to wear to the mission tonight, unless you want me to go out in civies."

"Over my dead body." Bruce said, fixing Dick with his typical Batman look. It wasn't quite the glare, but it was not something he wanted to be on the receiving end of regardless.

"What then?" Dick asked. "The mission begins in less than an hour. They'll go without me if I don't show."

"You think we would have done all this without thinking about that?" Bruce asked with a raised brow.

It was a fair question. The Batfamily were the masters of contingency plans. But Dick still had to wonder what all this was leading up to. He didn't enjoy being jerked around, and wanted to put an end to it now.

"We have prepared something for you in the cave, Master Dick." Alfred said, suddenly at the grandfather clock and positioning the hands in their correct positions. The clock moved away to reveal the entrance to the cave, and Alfred stepped aside in like to clear the way for Dick. "You will find it at the bottom of the staircase. You can't miss it."

Dick shot his three family members a look before he sighed again and chose to comply. He would have to go quickly in order to make it in time. Once he was through the entrance, he rushed downstairs quickly and quietly so as not to elicit Alfred's remarks of running on the stairs. He flipped down the last stair with acrobatic grace and got to examining the cave, trying to find the explanation he had been promised. It would make sense for them to leave it in plain sight for him to find, so he didn't immediately go to overturning tables. He swept his gaze over the Bat-computer, the Batmobile, the display cases-

And he froze.

It was right there, just as Alfred had promised. It was sitting in _his_ case. The one that had been vacant for so long after the Court took him. It had housed his Nightwing suit, and his Robin costume before that. He passed on the later of the two to Jason, and it now sat in its' own display case.

Only now did it dawn on Dick that the Team had most certainly played a part in this. Inviting him to the Watchtower, offering him the mission. It was all part of a grand scheme to get him down here and to get him to gaze upon what they had prepared for him. Dick didn't even care about that. He was too overwhelmed by the sight before him.

Dick was not embarrassed to admit he was amazed. It was... _perfect_. He couldn't explain exactly what it was that made him feel so strongly about it, but he looked at it and he just knew that it was something that was meant for him.

Mesmerized by the sight of the contents, Dick walked closer to it and pressed a hand against the glass. It wasn't exactly like the old one, but that was by design. No doubt an effort of some sort to rid him of the bad memories that may have been associated with the previous suit. Oddly enough, it worked. He looked at the magnificent sight in front of him, and his mind was not drawn to the past. Not to that which he had been forced to do. Not to the acts he had committed for vengeance.

He looked at it, at all the hard work and painstaking detail that had been laid into it, and he saw only that which he might become.

Not long ago, Cobb had asked him what drew him to the name Nightwing. The answer was simple, yet it was complex.

Nightwing was the hero that Clark had told him about as a child, just around the time he was considering leaving the Robin mantle behind. Nightwing. The great rebuilder. The catalyst of change. Eternally reborn to start anew. Just like the phoenix of old. Nightwing was by no means immortal. Quite the opposite in fact. Nightwing fell consistently. What made him special was that no matter what he was put through and what was done to him, he could shed himself of all that had befallen him and begin again. That was the Kryptonian hero that Dick decided he wanted to emulate. Tear down the past. Burn away all the past pains and anguish and heart ache, and rise once more from the ashes to become something new. Something untouched.

That was the original Nightwing. As for Dick himself...

He had been called many things in his life. Nightwing. Monster. Talon. Son. Hero. Each title had been true, in its' own right. Then he would shed it for the next role that was assigned to him. That had always been the way of things for him. It was how he evolved and grew. Letting go of the past, and looking to the future.

The Court of Owls had prided themselves on trying to strip that away from him. Taking away everything that made him who he was. Trying to leave nothing but a mindless Talon. Ensuring that the only path he had left to follow was to embrace his true 'destiny' as the Gray Son of Gotham. They had nearly succeeded.

It was time that he burned that down as well, just as they had to that accursed uniform.

Because no matter what others called him, he would always be Dick Grayson. And one thing that Dick Grayson embraced...

...was that destinies did not exist. (6)

* * *

"Where is he?"

The entire Team was beginning to sympathize with Roy's impatience. The deal would be going down less than an hour from now, and they could not afford to wait much longer. Dick knew that. He knew better than anyone that the mission couldn't stop on behalf of a single person.

Speculation had begun a while ago. Had he changed his mind? Had something gone wrong with the plan? Had Bruce and Tim not been successful in convincing him?

Any outcome looked bleak. The desperately wanted this. They knew it would be good for Dick if he would just give himself the chance. But he was so damned stubborn sometimes...

Oracle's voice crackled in the comm link, cutting off their collective musings. _"I'm sorry guys, but it looks like he's not coming. We'll try again another time, but you have to get a move on if your going to get their in time."_

No one liked it, but she was right. There would be other recon missions.

Just as everyone got up to go to head into the Tubes, the Watchtower systems announced a new arrival. Once it spoke the name of the incoming hero, none would ever deny that their hearts fluttered with joy.

 _Recognized: Red_ _Robin B 20; Nightwing B 01_

Red Robin materialized first, walking out of the Tube with a triumphant grin on his face. And not long after him, came Nightwing...

Even though all members of the Team were made privy to the plan in its' entirety, and knew full well what to expect one they arrived, it didn't lessen the awe of seeing Nightwing's new suit. It was well and truly a sight to behold.

The Nightwing symbol had been shifted from royal blue to a deep crimson red, not far off from the colors that Wally now wore. Moreover, the emblem was no longer confined to an eagle sigil. The large shape of the wings on his chest spread out far, and rolled over his shoulders in a 'v' shape, which extended down his arms and to his fingers. The suit was intentionally made different from that of the Talon's garb. Even though his new physicality no longer made it necessary, it had full body armor around the shoulders, boots, and gloves. The gloves themselves also had arm blades running down the sleeves, just like Batman's own. The collar was made a tad higher as well, to obscure his black veins. The mask was identical, and obscured his golden irises.

Dick smiled at them. "Shall we begin?"

Kaldur smiled proudly at his friend, leading the Team into the Zeta Tubes and towards their next mission. "Of course. And afterwards, we celebrate. Today is the day that Nightwing returned."

Dick smiled, as did all his friends and his brother. "You're right." He agreed. "Today's the day."

* * *

He had been called many things in his life. So many that it was hard to keep track at times. But it didn't matter what others called him. The only things that mattered were those that he knew to be true

He was a Talon.

He was an assassin.

He was a freak of nature.

He was, for all intents and purposes, a dead man walking.

And he was a monster...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

...but that's not all he was.

He was also a performer.

He was an aerialist.

He was a former sidekick.

He was an inspiration.

He was a protector...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

...but most importantly...

...he was a Grayson...

... _and_ he was a Wayne.

He was the son of John and Mary Grayson, the Flying Graysons.

He was the son of Bruce Wayne, Batman.

He was the brother of Jason Todd and Tim Drake, both Robins.

He was the best friend of Wally West, the New Flash.

And he was Nightwing.

.

He was a Hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) What do you think of my little easter egg?
> 
> (2) The dialogue where Dick tells Talon he isn't special is taken from Batman Volume 2 #6, and the part where Cobb taunts Dick on the hidden meaning of the name Nightwing is a reference to when Lincoln March does the same in Robin War #2.
> 
> (3) Wings of the Night - Shout out to the Author Fanofeverything101, who not only wrote the story Wings of the Night which helped inspire this one, but also beta'd parts of this chapter for me. If you're reading this, I can't thank you enough my man.
> 
> (4) The joke was right there. It had to be done. It's like my favorite running gag ever sense the motion sensors in season 1.
> 
> (5) The picture rooms filled with the victims of the Court or Owls can be found in Batman Volume 2 #5
> 
> (6) Taken directly from Nightwing Volume 3 #9. The exact line that Dick says after he defeats Cobb. Destinies do not exist.
> 
> This story was officially completed June 6, 2020 not including the updates to inform about the other stories.
> 
> I'd like to thank you all for the wonderful things you've said over the course of this story. Please continue to comment. I love hearing what you thought.
> 
> Beyond that, there will be a sequel. I can't gaurentee it will be up anytime soon though. There are still a lot of plot details I need to hammer out first.
> 
> In the meantime, this will remain up for your reading pleasure. Please continue to let me know what you thought, and I'll get back to you with the sequel as soon as I can.
> 
> Thank you all for the kind remarks you have all made. I truly hope you enjoyed this last chapter.
> 
> Until next time. ;) 
> 
> Yours truly.
> 
> Seraphim 0~

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Talon’s Flight](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400894) by [Coral_Mountain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coral_Mountain/pseuds/Coral_Mountain)




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